Apple And Gorgonzola Crostini With Lavender Honey Recipes

BRUSCHETTA WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE AND HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
• Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

APPLE AND GORGONZOLA CROSTINI WITH LAVENDER HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to BROIL.
• Arrange the cut up bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. BROIL 4 inches from the heat source for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until lightly browned, turning once. Watch oven carefully!
• Divide and place the apple slices on the toasted baguette. Lightly drizzle with the honey. Top with the cheese and fresh chives.
• Serve immediately.

SWEET POLENTA CROSTINI WITH MASCARPONE, RASPBERRIES, PISTACHIOS, AND LAVENDAR HONEY

Steps:

• Prepare the polenta: Line an 8 by 4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the salt, then gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Keep stirring after the last of the cornmeal has been added: the mixture will begin to thicken quite quickly. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the polenta for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon a little of the polenta onto a plate and taste it: when it is no longer crunchy and granular, it's done.
• Scrape the polenta into the loaf pan, flattening the top and pressing the mass into a rough rectangle, ending halfway to two-thirds down the length of the pan. This sounds a little confusing, but you should now have a 2-inch-thick rectangle of polenta pressed into the loaf pan. It will be very stiff and have no trouble staying put. Cool the polenta to room temperature, then press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
• No more that 2 or 3 hours before you plan to serve the dessert, remove the loaf pan from the refrigerator and unmold the polenta. With a long, thin-bladed knife, slice the loaf into 1/4-inch thick slices and cut each of these in half. You should end up with about 24 (2-inch) squares, 1/4-inch thick.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan (non-stick is fine) over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add half of the polenta slices and fry about 4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp on both sides. Carefully transfer the slices to a platter lined with paper towels and sprinkle the slices with half of the sugar. Repeat with the remaining butter, oil, polenta, and sugar. Cool the sugared polenta slices to room temperature.
• To assemble the crostini, spoon the mascarpone into a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip (about 1/2-inch or so). Pipe a generous amount of mascarpone on each polenta square and arrange two or three raspberries on the cheese. Press some pistachio pieces around the berries into the cheese and drizzle the crostini with a little of the honey (a honey dripper or even a teaspoon dipped into the jar then waved over the squares works really well, don't even bother measuring the honey!). The finished crostini should be eaten as soon as possible, but can be kept covered at room temperature for a few hours.

GORGONZOLA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle Gorgonzola on baguette slices. Sprinkle nuts over each. Drizzle each slice lightly with honey.

APPLE AND ONION CONFIT CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the confit: In a high-sided skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions, apple slices, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and apples are very soft, about 50 minutes.
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with oil and bake until lightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the gorgonzola squares on top of the warm toasts. Spoon the confit on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with chopped thyme and serve.
• Cook's Note: Freeze the gorgonzola for 20 minutes for easier slicing.

PEAR & GORGONZOLA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Halve and core the pears, then cut each one into 12 small wedges. Place in a heavy-based saucepan with the honey, port and wine. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the pears are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (they shouldn't be soft).
• Carefully tip the pears into a sieve set over a small saucepan and allow them to drain thoroughly.
• Reduce the liquid in the saucepan by two-thirds - it should have a syrupy consistency like runny honey. This will take 10-12 minutes. Pour the syrup into a small bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the bruschettas.
• Preheat the grill to hot. Cut the bread into 24 slices and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Grill until the bruschettas are golden on both sides. This only takes a minute, so keep watch.
• Spread each bruschetta with a little gorgonzola and top with a poached pear wedge. Arrange the bruschettas on a serving plate and drizzle with the port syrup using a teaspoon. Sprinkle over a little mustard and cress.
• Prepare ahead: you can poach the pears the day before and serve them cold - they're just as nice. Take them out of the syrup and reduce, then store the pears and syrup in separate plastic containers in the fridge. If the syrup is too thick the next day, add a little warm water, and if it is too thin, you can reduce it by simmering for a minute or two.

BLUE CHEESE, APPLE, AND SAGE-HONEY CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small saucepan, warm the sage and honey over medium-low heat until fragrant and the honey just begins to bubble, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Discard sage and let honey cool to room temperature.
• Lightly brush one side of each bread slice with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool. Spread blue cheese on baguette slices and top with apples and walnuts. Drizzle toasts with sage honey.

CROSTINI WITH GORGONZOLA AND FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted on 1 side.
• Mash crumbled Gorgonzola and 1 tablespoon butter in small bowl until smooth. Spread Gorgonzola mixture evenly over untoasted side of baguette slices. Top with figs. Drizzle oil over figs. Broil until Gorgonzola mixture bubbles around edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer crostini to platter and serve.