I love cheese. It’s just so versatile, pairs with so many wonderful things, and can be prepared in countless ways, and the cheese course is quite possibly my favorite of them all. I thinking that guests of mine would likely find it difficult to think back to any occasion in which I have entertained and not had some form of a cheese platter present.
One of my favorite ways to serve the cheese course was actually inspired by a good friend of mine. She hosted a girl’s wine night years ago, and set out a starter that had us all coming back for more. It consisted of melty, savory brie, covered with an apricot jam and sprinkled with crunchy almonds. The surprising thing? When I asked her for the recipe, she laughed at me, and responded, “What recipe?” This elegant and lovely appetizer is so simple to make, you could likely pull this one off at home just from memory alone. I made a couple of upgrades to the recipe, but still, you’ll find it takes few ingredients and an even smaller portion of effort.
If you plan on entertaining with this beauty, try serving it alongside a light Pinot Noir or nice, buttery Chardonnay and enjoy.
For more cheesy starter ideas, go to TheAnthonyKitchen.com/appetizers.
Ingredients:
16 ounces of Brie
4 tablespoons apricot fruit spread
3 tablespoons chopped (whole) almonds
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of Kosher salt
Method:
Place brie in the freezer for 20 minutes. This will make it easier to remove the rind. Preheat oven to 400° and have ready a greased, small baking dish with 2-3 cup capacity.
Using a sharp knife, remove the rind of the brie and cut into 1/2” cubes. Transfer to baking dish. Spoon apricot spread across the brie and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle chopped almonds evenly across the top, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with salt. Bake, uncovered, for 13-15 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow to cool slightly, serve and enjoy.
Enjoy with toast points, water or stoneground crackers, strawberries or sliced apples.
