This holiday season has been incredibly busy for me, more time cooking and teaching and in the kitchen than ever before. While I regret that my blogging has taken abuse for it, I've really been creating some terrific new dishes. Sadly, not able to document everything, I'm just going to be sharing the best of the holiday season with you now. This one, is spectacular! I'd recommend it for all your winter parties, including those for New Year's and even Super Bowl parties. I tell you, it's a hit! Here are my "Wensleydale Cheese-Cranberry and Port Wine Glaze Spirals".
I served them in this photo with walnuts that I also candied with the port wine glaze and some plump and lucious Medjool dates. It is a spectacular and very special hors d'oeuvre that is full of warm and comforting flavors that are very unique and memorable.
Wensleydale is one of my favorite cheeses from England, that is similar to a mild white cheddar with floral notes and a crumbly texture. It melts nicely, but not smooth and creamy like a brie. Rather, it also melts like a cheddar. Good for an appetizer that you want to retain its shape. You can usually find it in specialty cheese shops and sometimes, even in your local supermarket.
The port wine glaze recipe I made below is terrific for making candied spiced nuts, particularly walnuts or pecans. Both times I made the spirals, I made extra for port-wine glaze for the nuts. I'll give you enough glaze here to do the same. To make the nuts, you simply toss them in the glaze after it's thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and just short of a caramel consistency.
For the spirals, I made the glaze first while the puff pastry was defrosting. Then, the filling. I used frozen pastry but I think I'm ready to tackle making my own. Here's how the recipes for the spirals worked out:
Ingredients
Makes about 60-70 spirals
For the Port Wine glaze (includes enough extra to spice nuts):
1 c. good, robust Ruby Port
1 c. fine granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 small fresh bay leaves
For the Wensleydale-Cranberry Spirals
1 package or two full sheets of puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
8 oz. fresh Wendsleydale cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/4 c. spiced pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Remove puff pastry from freezer and let thaw according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Make the port wine glaze: In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients for the glaze to a gentle simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let the wine and spices simmer without stirring and while the sugar melts it will begin to thicken into a glaze. When the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from heat. Pour 1/3 cup of the glaze into a small bowl and set aside. Use the rest of the glaze to make spiced walnuts or pecans: add the nuts to the saucepan with the port glaze and stir to evenly coat. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the nuts evenly into a single layer. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven, making sure not to scorch the nuts. (Check at 7 minutes.) Remove pan from oven and let nuts cool completely, then break apart any that are stuck together. Store in an air-tight container or serve.
3. In a medium bowl combine the cheese, dried cranberries, oregano, chopped nuts, salt and pepper. Toss gently with a fork to incorporate.
4. Spread out the thawed puff pastry, and cut each sheet into thirds lengthwise. Most brands (including Pepperidge Farm which is the most common) will have folds in the puff pastry, so you can cut right on the fold line. One sheet at a time and roll out to 1/8" thickness and a rectangular shape using a loured surface and rolling pin. Take the reserved port-wine glaze and using a pastry brush, gently brush a light layer of the glaze on the rectangle of the puff pastry. Leave about 1/4" space on one long side and both short sides of the rectangle. Leave about 1/2" space on one long side of the rectangle.
5. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the glaze, using a spoon to scatter it and your finger to make it even. Make sure to cover it evenly but not too thickly, since you'll be rolling up the pastry. Also, you will make about 6 of these individual rolls, so try to reserve the proportionate amount of cheese mixture.
6. Begin at the long end with filling closest to the edge and turn it so it's facing you. Slowly roll up the dough and filling, taking care to roll evenly and tightly as you go. Roll until you reach the long end of the dough that has extra space. Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water and wipe your forefinger along the blank dough. Seal the pastry into a roll, squeezing any extra air from the edge you sealed with water.
7. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate. Repeat this process with all of the sections of your pastry. In most packages you will have two full sheets, which will make six rolled-out rectangles of dough. Refrigerate all the dough at least an hour before baking and up to one day in advance. You can also freeze the dough rolls and thaw in the refrigerator the day before you want to bake them off.
8. Preheat oven to 400˚F 30 minutes before you want to bake the spirals. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and remove the pastry rolls from refrigeration. Take off the plastic wrap and cut the dough into equal pieces (about 12 per rectangle) that will be a "spiral" when laid on its side. Spread these out evenly on the baking sheets. Bake each sheet 10-12 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool just enough so that you won't burn your mouth, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately! They go deliciously with champagne!
Cheers and a very Happy New Year to you all!
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