Small but mighty, and, falling into the category of somewhere-in-between-a-dip-and-a-spread, this easy-to-make appetizer is appropriate to serve at, or make-and-take to, any holiday gathering -- it's sublime. It's also a great recipe to keep in your back pocket in case you find yourself in need of a last-minute appetizer. There's more. If you're not a fan of cranberry sauce, it's great made with chunky-style applesauce instead. While it can be prepared in a small shallow bowl, it's particularly pretty baked and served in a small crock -- presentation is, after all, everything. There's even more. It can be assembled, refrigerated overnight, and baked the next day.
Three ingredients + twenty minutes = One sublime appetizer:
1 8-ounce wheel herbed-triple creme brie
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup coarse-chopped walnuts
~Step 1. Place 6 tablespoons cranberry sauce in bottom of a 3-4 cup crock. While the Brie is cold, slice it in half horizontally, to form two discs. Place bottom disc in crock atop the sauce.
~Step 2. Spoon and spread 6 more tablespoons cranberry sauce atop the disc of brie in the crock, then scatter 6 tablespoons walnuts evenly over all. Place the second disc (the top of the Brie) on top. Don't press down. Spoon 6 more tablespoons of cranberry sauce on top, leaving a nice edge around the perimeter of the cheese, followed by a scattering of 1-2 tablespoons walnuts atop the sauce, again, leaving a nice edge around the perimeter of cheese.
~ Step 3. Once assembled, Brie can be covered and refrigerated several hours to overnight. In either case, when the Brie has been out of the refrigerator for a total of about 30 minutes, bake, uncovered on center rack of preheated 350° oven until cheese is softened, 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 8-10 minutes prior to serving somewhat hot, warm or at room temperature with your favorite (Club or Ritz) crackers.
Going into the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes:
Coming out of the oven to cool for 8-10 minutes:
Crock of Baked Cranberry, Walnut and Herbed Brie: Recipe yields 4-6 servings.
Special Equipment List: 3-4 cup-sized oven-safe crock; chef's knife; cutting board
Cook's Note: While these are perfect for any Turkey-Day feast, they're great almost any time of the year. I've been know to serve them on occasion as a warm-up to one of my winner-winner roasted chicken Sunday dinners. As for the recipe, there really isn't one so-to-speak -- I came home with it "in my head" (as it was told to me) after enjoying a few at a mid-morning Christmas cookie-exchange brunch-party a few year ago. Try my ~ Gobble Gobble -- Turkey-Day Cranberry & Brie Bites ~.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2020)
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