Whipped Brie Appetizer With Peppered Fig Compote

"This is adapted from a Thomas Keller recipe which uses Brie de Meaux and Tellicherry peppercorns. It is, for those of us mortals who have neither item at our fingertips, quite delicious with plain old good quality brie and freshly ground black pepper. Another recipe which looks long and complicated, but it is really pretty simple and can be done in bits, and then assembled at the last moment before serving."
 
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Ready In:
30mins
Ingredients:
8
Serves:
6
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ingredients

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directions

  • Put the figs and wine in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until most of the Port has reduced, 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and reserve.
  • Remove the rind from the Brie; you should have about 8 ounces left.
  • Put the cold cheese into a mixer with a paddle attachment and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is very white and creamy; beat in the pepper; this can be refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the 'stack.'.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat.
  • Drizzle about one-eighth teaspoon of balsamic vinegar over each slice of baguette in a thin line, brush lightly with oil on both sides and cook each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Brown the bread in batches.
  • Remove from the heat and reserve (the bread can be stored in a plastic bag or container until needed).
  • For each serving put a slice of toasted bread ('crouton') on the plate, then angle a quenelle (an oval of cheese shaped with two spoons) of Brie over the crouton.
  • Top with a second crouton and another quenelle of Brie, then another crouton. Place about a tablespoon of the fig compote and a sprinkle of sea salt next to the stack and serve immediately.
  • Serve the six 'stacks' immediately.

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Reviews

  1. Fantastic peppered brie and figs in port. I used semi dried figs and a little more port, I think, with good results.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I have always loved to cook. When I was little, I cooked with my Grandmother who had endless patience and extraordinary skill as a baker. And I cooked with my Mother, who had a set repertoire, but taught me many basics. Then I spent a summer with a French cousin who opened up a whole new world of cooking. And I grew up in New York City, which meant that I was surrounded by all varieties of wonderful food, from great bagels and white fish to all the wonders of Chinatown and Little Italy, from German to Spanish to Mexican to Puerto Rican to Cuban, not to mention Cuban-Chinese. And my parents loved good food, so I grew up eating things like roasted peppers, anchovies, cheeses, charcuterie, as well as burgers and the like. In my own cooking I try to use organics as much as possible; I never use canned soup or cake mix and, other than a cheese steak if I'm in Philly or pizza by the slice in New York, I don't eat fast food. So, while I think I eat and cook just about everything, I do have friends who think I'm picky--just because the only thing I've ever had from McDonald's is a diet Coke (and maybe a frie or two). I have collected literally hundreds of recipes, clipped from the Times or magazines, copied down from friends, cajoled out of restaurant chefs. Little by little, I am pulling out the ones I've made and loved and posting them here. Maybe someday, every drawer in my apartment won't crammed with recipes. (Of course, I'll always have those shelves crammed with cookbooks.) I'm still amazed and delighted by the friendliness and the incredible knowledge of the people here. 'Zaar has been a wonderful discovery for me.</p>
 
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