Everybody who cooks will, sooner or later, experience that awful heart-sinking, stomach-churning realization that THE recipe you desperately need for whatever is GONE. It’s not misfiled, it’s not piled up somewhere, waiting to be put back where it belongs. No, it’s obviously been nicked by someone evil passing through the kitchen, it’s vaporized, the cat or dog ate it, it’s. …
You can tear the house apart, while you’re tearing your hair out, searching, searching, searching. …
“I have been frantically looking for a recipe I was given by a local restaurant several years ago for a roasted garlic cheese,’’ Sherry Hinds writes.
“I believe it was three cheeses blended together. It was served with baked garlic. They used to hand out recipe cards for this recipe, but no longer do so.’’
If we’ve nailed it — and we think we may have — here’s the how-to, as reprinted from its original appearance in a Jan. 15, 1992, Forum column. At that time, Sally McArthur, executive chef at Anthony’s Restaurants in Bellevue, supplied us with the secret for this specialty of the house.
Confetti’s baked garlic-cheese appetizer
1cup whole mild ricotta cheese
1/2cup grated Asiago cheese
3ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, grated
3tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3/4cup grated Provolone cheese
1/2teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1egg
1/2teaspoon kosher salt
1/4cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
Fresh tomato-basil concasse (recipe follows)
Roasted garlic (recipe follows)
Thin baguette slices, toasted and rubbed with fresh garlic
Puree cheeses, pepper, nutmeg, fresh garlic, egg and salt in food processor; distribute evenly in four 1/2-cup ramekins. Top ramekins with lightly oiled parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place ramekins in water bath and bake approximately 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, prepare concasse and set aside, then prepare roasted garlic.
Remove ramekins from oven, remove parchment or foil and top with hazelnuts. Accompany each ramekin with an individual portion of the concasse, a garlic bulb and toasted baguette slices.
Makes 4 servings.
Fresh tomato-basil concasse
8ounces ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut in 1/8-inch dice
11/2tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/4teaspoon kosher salt
2teaspoons fruity olive oil
1/4teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
1/2teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/8teaspoon sugar
In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss gently to mix.
Roasted garlic
4whole bulbs garlic
1tablespoon olive oil
1/4teaspoon kosher salt
Trim off and discard top 1/2 inch (flower end) of garlic bulbs, exposing garlic cloves. Brush cut surfaces with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, until garlic is soft and pliable.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Good Life section.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
