Cheese Croutes Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the leeks and garlic, stir well, cover and cook for 10 mins until the leeks are soft, stirring a few times to check that they don't catch. Tip into a large bowl. Put the spinach in the pan and allow it to wilt. Leave to cool and, when cold, squeeze out as much liquid from it as you possibly can.
• Tip the chestnut purée into the bowl with the leeks and add the 3 eggs, the nutmeg, chestnuts, spinach, breadcrumbs, cheese and seasoning, and stir until well mixed. Chill for at least 1 hr until the mixture firms up.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle large enough to completely enclose the filling. Carefully lift onto a large, long baking tray that has been lined with baking parchment, then brush round all the edges of the pastry with the remaining egg. Spoon the filling down the centre of the length of the pastry, leaving the ends clear. Tuck the ends over the filling, then firmly lift up the sides to wrap them round, trimming away any excess pastry as you go. Brush with more egg to glaze, then make a few holes in the top so steam can escape as it cooks. Bake for 40 mins until golden and the filling is firm. Remove from the oven, brush with more glaze and bake for 10 mins more.
• To make the sauce, heat the stock in a medium pan, add the leeks, boil for 5 mins, then take off the heat and scoop out 2 tbsp of the leeks. Blitz the rest in the pan with the cornflour using a hand blender, then cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour in the cream and reserved leeks and warm through. Can be made 2 days ahead and chilled. Serve the pastry in thick slices with the sauce.

Steps:

• Toast the bread slices.
• Cut the garlic clove in half and rub each half on one of the toasted bread slices.
• Sprinkle the brandy over the bread slices.
• Cover the bread slices with the cheese. Place on a sheet pan and place in a 350 degree oven until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes).
• Top each slice with some fresh cracked black pepper and serve hot with sliced cucumbers.

Steps:

• On rimmed baking sheet, lightly toast bread in 500F oven, turning halfway through cooking time, about 6 minutes.
• Remove from oven; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the wine.
• In large bowl, beat egg, egg yolk, garlic, flour and cayenne until smooth. Whisk in remaining wine; mix in cheese.
• Top bread with cheese mixture; sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
• Return to oven; bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Cut the bread on the bias into 18 slices one-quarter inch thick. Arrange the slices flat on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler about four inches from the source of heat. Broil for 30 seconds, or until golden brown.
• Turn the slices over and brush with the olive oil. Sprinkle the center of each slice with the grated cheese. Return the slices to the broiler, and broil until they are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the steak for 8-10 mins, turning to brown it all over. Remove from the pan and leave to cool. To make the gravy, add the shallot and garlic to the pan juices and cook, stirring, until softened and golden. Pour in the wine, add the herbs and leave to bubble for 2 mins. Pour in the stock and stir in the flour paste, stirring all the time until the gravy has thickened. Cover and cook for 5 mins over a low heat, then strain into a bowl or small freezer container, pushing through as much liquid left in the shallots as you can.
• Wash the pan, then melt the butter and cook the shallot and garlic until softened. Add the mushrooms and thyme, and fry for 10 mins, stirring frequently, to drive off as much moisture as possible. Season with black pepper and sparingly with salt. Cool.
• Lay a couple of sheets of cling film on the work surface, side by side and slightly overlapping, then arrange the prosciutto down the centre in two overlapping rows. Spread the mushroom mixture on top, then scatter evenly with the cheese and walnuts. Place the steak on top, then tightly wrap the prosciutto round it, using the cling film to help you. Finally, tightly wrap in the cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until you think it is large enough to completely wrap round the steak roll. Unwrap the meat, place on top of the pastry and brush round it with the egg mixture. Tightly roll up in the pastry, trimming the excess as you bring the pastry together down the length and ends, sealing well. If you want to add decoration, cut out leaf shapes from the trimmings and use the egg mixture to stick them to the pastry. Chill until ready to cook. Will keep for 2 days. (If freezing, wrap in new cling film, then foil, and freeze along with the gravy and egg glaze. The day before, take everything out of the freezer and put in the fridge, unwrapping the steak roll and covering it loosely with kitchen paper.)
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 with a baking sheet inside. Place the (completely thawed) meat on a piece of baking parchment and brush with the egg glaze. Place on the hot baking sheet and cook for 45-50 mins. Insert a meat thermometer into the centre of the beef: for rare it should be 50C, for medium-rare 55C, and for medium 60C. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15-20 mins. Trim off the pastry end, then thickly slice and serve with the gravy, heated in a pan, and seasonal vegetables.