I have always loved blue cheese. I have fond memories of dining out with my family as a child at the local steak house and diving into the blue cheese dressing when the salad dressing caddy was delivered to the table. I never thought twice about a casual 1000 Island Dressing fling. Nor was I tempted to ‘go exotic’, with Green Goddess dressing. And Italian dressing? Did not turn my head; even once.
I remember reading in one of Michael Pollan’s books (author of the ‘Omnivore’s Dilemma’, ‘Food Rules’, and more) that people are drawn more strongly either to sugar, salt or fat. It’s all Darwinian type stuff; survival related. After considering that proposition I realized the foods I most covet would fall within the fat category. I’m not saying my survival is based on blue cheese but I’d hate to experiment with living without it.
I never anticipated my love for blue cheese being tested. Living through the era where all fats were looked at as contraband, women were expected to be on perpetual diets consuming vast quantities of things like celery which were believed to burn more calories in the consumption process than the poor celery bears itself. Of course no blue cheese for dipping.
Then I became gluten free. The fabulously flavorful dark blue-gray veins in my beloved cheese are created from wheat based mold growth (sexy I know, sorry). There is great debate about whether the final creamy, tangy cheese bears gluten itself, despite the origins. The Canadian Celiac Association has formally added blue cheese to their ‘ok to eat’ list. One needs to decide for themselves (I found this article on the topic interesting) but I’m opting ‘in’. (Note: I used Point Reyes Blue Cheese which is gluten free).
I have been craving football food and with the Super Bowl coming up finding some tasty options seemed apropos. You immediately know if a food is a fit with the ‘football’ genre or not. The dish I am submitting is not a stereotypic choice but one that works nonetheless: Savory Blue Cheese Cake. Sound weird? It’s not. It is a baked dish but not a cake in the traditional sense though does bear the consistency of a sweet traditional cheesecake. Imagine the flavor of blue cheese commingled with cream cheese and sour cream, baked to a light round enhance by some green onion and pecans. This dish great for any party or gathering; no pigskin required. It’s spreadable on crackers or cocktail toast. Perfect paired with grapes and you can make it ahead of time (my favorite type of dish). It’s elegant, sophisticated and something out of the ordinary. And it’s made with blue cheese.
Recipe
Savory Blue Cheese Cake {appetizer}
Ingredients
- 2 8- ounce packages Cream Cheese
- 8 ounces Blue Cheese , crumbled
- 2 ½ cups Sour Cream
- 1/8 teaspoon White Pepper
- 3 Eggs
- ¼ cup Green Onions , minced
- ½ cup Pecans , minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by buttering it liberally.
- Beat together the cream cheese and the blue cheese until light and fluffy.
- Mix in 1 cup of the sour cream (reserve the remaining 1 ½ cup) and the pepper.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.
- Stir in onions and nuts.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand on a cooling rack for 5 minutes (do not turn off the oven).
- Spread the remaining 1 ½ cups sour cream on the top of the cake and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove, allow to cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Remove outer ring of springform pan when serving to allow ease of slicing.
- Serve with crackers, cocktail rye toast and grapes.
Nutrition
claudia @Whats Cookin ITalian Cuisine says
Good grief this is calling my name just love bleu cheese my name is on one of those chunks somewhere… nice post sweetie!
Toni Dash says
I agree Claudia! It’s such an easy, upscale appetizer with that great blue cheese! Thanks for ‘popping by’!
Claudia says
Made it. Blogged it. Credited to you. Am in love.
PolaM says
What an interesting recipe! I never thought of baking cheese!
john@kitchenriffs says
Wow. This looks incredible. This is such a creative recipe! I love blue cheese, so this has my name written all over it. Exceptionally good stuff – thanks so much.
Rhonda says
Fat, fat, fat please. And if you are what you eat…argh, I’m in trouble! Everything cheesy is for me. Guess it’s because my family is from the North and we must keep warm! Totally pinning this and making it this week for no other reason than I want to. Blue Cheese Cake and salad for dinner one night this week.
Toni Dash says
One night? Were I left to my own devices Rhonda I’d nibble for dinner every night I think over things like this and frankly DID for a few nights in a row! It’s unbearably good to we who love cheese!
Juliana Loh (@bilbaobab) says
this is such a great idea!! I LOVE cheese cakes and I LOVE blue cheese, but I never thought to make a cake out of it!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Toni Dash says
You are most welcome Juliana! I think once you make this you’ll never think of making a cheese cake without it.
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
Pinned! I would so love this. I adore blue cheese as well, but always tagged it as being a salty thing, not fat. Either way, those are definitely the directions I head over sweet.
Toni Dash says
I think cheese is ‘fat’ my friend which is its crowning glory in my book. I too agree about savory over sweet. I’d pick that road any day!
Happy Valley Chow says
I would have never thought to do a savory cheesecake, but it totally makes sense now that I see it! Sounds delicious, I will definitely have to try. Thanks for sharing!
Toni Dash says
I hope you will. I promise if you are a blue cheese lover, it does not disappoint!
Jean says
This looks incredible. I don’t have a springform pan, do you think that’s a dealbreaker? I’m wondering how it might do in a regular baking dish. Thanks!
Toni Dash says
The advantage of the springform pan Jean is when the ‘cake’ is done you release the outer ring and remove it so it can be easily sliced (as you see in the photos). I’m sure the recipe would still be delicious no matter what you bake it in, just might be trickier to remove slices. Sounds like time for an experiment!
Jean says
Ah yes, that totally makes sense, thanks! I don’t think I’ll let the absence of a springform get in the way of my making this; we’ll scoop it out with our bare hands if necessary 🙂
Toni Dash says
I absolutely agree Jean! Time to employ the old adage ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’! I think it might be a bit like removing the first slice of pie. Once you are through that the rest should come out easily. Good luck!
Quay Po Cooks says
Looks really appetizing! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Toni Dash says
I hope you will! It is one of my favorite appetizer being delicious, easy to prepare and unique!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I am drooling, Toni. A fantastic appetizer and those sesame crackers are great too.