Blue Cheese And Pecan Strudel Recipes

BLUE CHEESE-APPLE STRUDELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, thyme, nutmeg and pepper. Toss to coat. Add cheese and walnuts; set aside., Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush with butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Layer with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with bread crumbs. Layer with another sheet of phyllo. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Spoon 1-1/2 cups apple mixture along the long end of phyllo to within 2 in. of edges. Fold long sides 2 in. over filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Repeat, making two more strudels., Transfer strudels to a parchment paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the top of each strudel. Brush with remaining butter. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

ROQUEFORT AND PEAR STRUDEL

Steps:

• For dough:
• Combine 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup warm water, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 3 minutes (dough will be sticky). Remove strudel dough from bowl and divide in half. Form each dough half into ball; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate 1 dough ball overnight for strudel; freeze second dough ball for another use.
• For filling:
• Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pears and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Strain pear mixture, discarding juices, then transfer pears to rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart; cool completely. Transfer cooled pears to large bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Add cheese, pecans, flour, and lemon juice to pears and toss gently to combine.
• Place 36x24-inch cotton cloth or clean cotton tablecloth on large work surface; secure all 4 corners to work surface with tape to keep in place. Dust cloth lightly with flour. Unwrap refrigerated strudel dough and place in center of prepared cloth; sprinkle lightly with flour. Using rolling pin, roll out dough as thinly as possible without tearing, dusting dough lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Slide hands under center of dough and gently pull with palms (not fingers) toward edges, being careful not to tear dough and stretching to thin rectangle. Gently pull dough edges with floured fingertips to form 34x18-inch rectangle. Using sharp knife, trim edges to form 33x17-inch rectangle. Cut dough rectangle lengthwise in half, forming two 33x8 1/2-inch rectangles. Brush each dough rectangle lightly with melted butter, then sprinkle each evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs. Starting 1 inch in from 1 short end of dough, spoon filling crosswise atop each dough rectangle in 1 1/2-inch-wide log, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides of both rectangles. Starting at edge of cloth closest to filling and using cloth as aid, lift edge of cloth and start rolling up strudel dough (not cloth) over filling, enclosing filling completely and forming 2 strudels. Tuck in short ends of dough and pinch to seal. Transfer strudels to prepared baking sheet. Brush strudels all over with melted butter. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake strudels until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool strudels on baking sheet 30 minutes.
• Cut strudels crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Test-Kitchen Tip:
• Although only half of the strudel dough is used in this recipe, you'll need to make a full batch of the dough to achieve the best texture. The remaining dough half can be stored airtight in the freezer for up to one month.

PECAN APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in sour cream and salt. Shape the dough into a ball; cover and refrigerate overnight. , For filling, combine bread crumbs and butter. Add apples, sugar, raisins, pecans and cinnamon; set aside. , Preheat oven to 350°. Divide dough into thirds; turn onto a floured surface. Roll each into a 15x12-in. rectangle. Spoon filling evenly onto dough; spread to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up from a long side; pinch seams and ends to seal. , Carefully place each loaf seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 55-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

APPLE, PECAN AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Add the greens, cherries, pecans, cheese and apples into a large salad bowl.
• Mix the olive oil, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar in a small jar and sprinkle with and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.
• Pour a little of the salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste the salad and add more dressing to taste.

BEET SALAD WITH PECANS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place beets into a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover beets by 1 inch; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until skins begin to loosen, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and lightly grease a baking dish.
• Drain beets, remove skins, and cut into halves or quarters, depending on size. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Roast in the preheated oven until beets are dark in color and almost fork tender, but not too soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool beets, dice into 1/2-inch cubes, and place in a bowl.
• Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey in a lidded jar for the honey-mustard vinaigrette. Close jar and shake to combine. Pour vinaigrette over beets and chill in the refrigerator until flavors have melded, 1 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a skillet over low heat. Add onions and cook until caramelized, 15 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and chop.
• Arrange 1/4 of the marinated beets in a solid circle on 4 salad dishes. Top with layers of onions and micro greens and sprinkle with blue cheese and pecans. Drizzle remaining beet vinaigrette around each salad, if desired. Serve chilled.

BLUE CHEESE AND PECAN STRUDEL

Steps:

• Make the clarified butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the bubbling starts to slow down; remove from the heat and let cool. Skim the white foam off the surface and discard. Spoon the remaining butter into a bowl, discarding the solids at the bottom of the saucepan.
• Whisk the egg white, cream cheese and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Gently fold in the blue cheese and candied pecans with a rubber spatula.
• Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo on a large cutting board or work surface with a long side in front of you. (Keep the remaining phyllo covered with a slightly damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Brush the phyllo lightly with some of the clarified butter. Sprinkle evenly with 2 teaspoons breadcrumbs. Repeat to make 5 more layers (phyllo, clarified butter, breadcrumbs), stacking the phyllo as you go. (Reserve some clarified butter to brush on the strudel before baking.)
• Spoon the cheese mixture in a strip down the length of the phyllo, about 1 inch from the long side closest to you. Starting from that side, roll up the phyllo to make a thin log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap or cover with a towel and refrigerate until the filling is firm, at least 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Place the phyllo roll seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush all over with the remaining clarified butter. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the phyllo is crisp and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool about 15 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board to slice. Lightly drizzle the slices with honey and serve warm or at room temperature.

PECAN BLUE-CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Place nuts in food processor and process until finely chopped; it takes about 10 seconds.
• Add both cheeses.
• Process until very smooth; again, it should only take about 10 seconds.
• Pack into a bowl and refrigerate until serving; this is best if allowed to chill for a few hours.
• A dribble of brandy or port added when you add the cheeses doesn't hurt.