When I was a small child my dad used to eat little, foil covered sections of processed cheese and I loved it too. He also ate blue cheese and I hated it. I couldn’t understand why he’d choose to put something so disgusting in his mouth.
Many years later while in France I stayed with a woman who took my culinary education very seriously. I was to eat Roquefort whether I wanted to or not. Madame started me off with some bread, lots of butter and a little cheese. Over the weeks spent in her rustic house near Mont St Michel the ratio of butter to cheese gradually decreased. In the end I was a convert.
Today, my conversion holds true and I choose to eat all sorts of cheeses from around the world – smelly, blue and otherwise. Consumed as a snack, a quick lunch or instead of dessert, a piece of cheese on a cracker can be a wonderful thing.
One of the first gluten-free recipes I developed was for savoury, fig and walnut biscotti that go beautifully with cheese. At a recent drinks party the biscotti were served topped with some goats’ blue and homemade quince paste. I think both Dad and Madame would approve.
Caren
Savoury Fig and Walnut Biscotti with Blue Cheese and Quince Paste
Makes about 20 biscotti or 40 half pieces of biscotti
2 tablespoons water
100 gm dried figs
50 gm walnut halves
100 gm walnut meal
150 gm almond meal
50 gm buckwheat flour
50 gm cornflour
½ teaspoon guar gum
1 pinch salt
½ teaspoon bicarb soda
3 eggs
½ cup grape seed oil
1 tablespoon water
200 gm blue cheese, cut into slices to fit the biscotti
100 gm quince paste, cut into pieces to fit the biscotti
Pre-heat oven to 175°C.
To plump the figs put the water and figs in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave for 20 seconds.
Strain off the water and discard.
Cut each fig into 3.
Combine the figs, walnuts, nut meals, buckwheat flour, corn flour, guar gum, salt and bicarb soda in a mixer.
Add 2 of the eggs, oil and tablespoon of water to combine.
Spoon into a 22cm x 11cm cake tin lined with baking paper.
Smooth the top, beat the remaining egg and brush it over the top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until brown and firm. Let cool.
Can be made ahead to this stage. Wrap tightly in cling wrap and foil and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Pre-heat oven 175°C.
Cut the loaf into 1cm slices. Spread them on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes until crisp but not too brown. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Assemble the biscotti with a slice of the cheese and a piece of paste.