While entertaining your loved ones this season, we at Savoring Thyme thought it would be nice to share a holiday favorite with all of you. Have a wonderful holiday and hope to see you in the new year!
Cranberry Brie Bites
(Serves 12 to 16)
One 17.5 ounce package of Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 cup Rosemary Cranberry Sauce (recipe below)
One ½ pound wedge Brie
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
Cut Brie in ½ inch-thick slices and cut each slice into strips 1 inch long.
Roll out each puff pastry sheet into a 16-inch square. Cut each square into 2-inch squares. Place a square into a muffin tin cup and spoon in 1 teaspoon of the cranberry sauce in the middle of the dough. Lay a piece of Brie on top of the sauce. Draw up the corners of the dough toward the center and twist to seal. Brush with a bit of egg wash. (If you are freezing the pastries, don’t brush with the egg wash.) Repeat until you have used up all the pastry.
Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to eight hours or freeze in the tins, then transfer to a zipper-top plastic bag and keep frozen for five weeks.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. If pastries are frozen, place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner, parchment paper, or aluminum foil and brush with the egg wash. Bake frozen pastries at 375 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Rosemary Cranberry Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
This piquant sauce is delicious to serve at holiday time. Offer it as an accompaniment to poultry or pork, spoon it over blocks of cream cheese to spread on crackers or cucumber rounds.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, picked over for stems
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup water
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and rosemary, and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, three to four minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and continue boiling until the cranberries begin to pop and the mixture begins to thicken, four to six minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the cranberries have all popped, releasing their juices.
Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze for up to two months. Serve cold or at room temperature.
For more information, reservations and availability, please call us at 661-259-MEAL. Dining parties are booking up fast! Check out our website at www.savoringthymechef.com for pricing and more details.