Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Blue cheese... Yes Please!!

Blue cheese is a cheese that people either love or hate. I happen to LOVE it and I use it in many of my dishes! I find that blue cheese adds elegance to most dishes, which I have done to simple zucchini in this dish.

Blue cheese can be either made from cow’s milk, sheep’s milk or goat’s milk. All blue cheese is made the same, a timely process of aging in controlled temperature caves and injected with Penicillium cultures for that blue-green veined finish result.  In this dish I am using Gorgonzola; an Italian veined blue cheese. It adds a burst of flavor in a smooth, salty bite.

When I’m catering or doing personal chef work I love to make this dish because I can make it early on so I can focus my attention on my main dish and my guests.

 

Gorgonzola zucchini Gratin

6 medium sized zucchini, chopped ½ inch think

½ onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

EVOO

1 cup Gorgonzola cheese

2 eggs

1-cup milk

 

In a large shallow pan sauté onion and garlic on medium-high heat in 1-2 tbsp of EVOO until opaque. Add zucchini and tomato, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini is almost cooked through. (About 8 minutes) turn off heat and mix in ¾ cheese until creamy. Pour into an oven save dish.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture over zucchini and top with remainder of cheese.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.

 

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