the wonderful world of brie

[skyllo]

During our cooking club saturday of Wine and Cheese, I had my first experience tasting brie, and I must say, it was a wonderful experience. I inherited a large brick of it, and after enjoying a delicious pear/brie quesadilla with a rasberry mustard sauce, I feel as though I should put away the rest for a rainy day, (though I could happily consume it all with a crusty loaf of bread, I don't think that would be a good diet decision...). Does anyone know how long brie can be kept in the refridgerator? And I think I read somewhere it can be frozen for a month? Does anyone have experience with this or know if it will come out tasting as good after being frozen? I'd hate to waste something so good :-)
Any help is appreciated, and if anyone else has yet to taste Brie, it is an experience you need to have!!

Sarah

[SusanL]

http://www.kieto.com/food_safety.htm
It says 1 week in the fridge, 30 days in freezer. If you can freeze hot brie kisses, I would think it should be ok frozen by itself. We LOVE brie!!

[landk]

I adore it spread with preserves and then wrapped in pastry and baked. When you cut into it the cheese just oozes and is sooooo creamy and delicious!!!:)

[NewMrsG]

I agree - brie is one of my favorite things!

Here's my favorite thing to do with brie -

Brie with raspberry preserves (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/104798)

[sadie]

MrsG - Thanks for the link to the brie with raspberry preserves. Did you use puff pastry or phyllo, and did you have any problems with the seams not holding?

Sadie

[MISSINDI]

I love Brie, and growing up with a French mother, it was often part of our cheese course. My favorite is triple creme Brie.

Another easy thing to do with it is top it with a bi of brown sugar and chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.) and wrap in crescent dough. Bake until the dough is golden and enjoy with crusty bread or crackers - delicious!

One of the new cookbooks that I was cooking out of this weekend (Everything Tastes Better with Bacon) has a great frittata recipe with brie.

[SusanMac]

Yea! congratulations & welcome to our world. If you like brie, you should also try camembert. Yumm. Cheese doesn't actually have a specific expiration date and should last for many, many weeks. If a bit of mold grows on it, just cut it off, and eat the rest. That sounds strange, but it's true. I personally would never, ever freeze cheese. It really changes the structure, taste and moisture level. Other people around here disagree, I know.

[NewMrsG]

Originally posted by sadie
MrsG - Thanks for the link to the brie with raspberry preserves. Did you use puff pastry or phyllo, and did you have any problems with the seams not holding?

Sadie

I once actually made it with phyllo and it just didn't really work. The puff pastry works great. The seams sometimes don't hold perfectly, and the stuff just oozes out, but that just adds to the fun somehow! The combination of raspberry preserves and rosemary sounds a bit odd, but it's DELICIOUS!

[sadie]

Thanks!

[MISSINDI]

Originally posted by SusanMac
Yea! congratulations & welcome to our world. If you like brie, you should also try camembert. Yumm.

Mmmm, and if you like Camembert, you might like Cambazola (Camembert with a Gorgonzola running through it) - delish!

[SDMomChef]

Brie is one of my favorite "treats" - I love to roast a head of garlic, and smear some roasted garlic and brie on some fresh French Bread....I may have to stop at the store tonight....I don't think that I've ever tried Camembert, so I may need to explore that tonight too....these boards can be dangerous sometimes! :)

[SandyM]

Originally posted by MISSINDI


Mmmm, and if you like Camembert, you might like Cambazola (Camembert with a Gorgonzola running through it) - delish!

*swoon* My new favorite cheese.

[Wendy w]

Your thread reminds me of this really good recipe that schuh posted awhile back. Really easy too.

Brie with Kahlua

½ Tablespoon butter
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup Kahlua
¼ cup dark brown sugar
8 oz. Wheel of brie

Melt butter and add pecans. Cook and stir for 30 seconds or so. Add Kahlua and brown sugar and cook until bubbly and slightly thickened.

Scrape top rind off Brie. Pour pecan mixture over brie. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds – until brie is slightly melted. Serve with french bread and green apples.

[MISSINDI]

Originally posted by SandyM


*swoon* My new favorite cheese.

Then you'll have to try one of our two favorite sandwiches:

Sliced French bread, toasted to crunch, slice plum tomatoes and lay on the bread, top with a bit of the Cambazola and fresh herbs. Put under broiler just enough to melt the cheese. Delicious!

Next: Sliced avocado, tomato, bacon and Cambazola cheese, all toasted so it's nice and warm and melty.

Great, now my mouth is watering and that's not on the lunch menu! :D

[kjh01]

lOOOVE brie!

There was a thread a while ago that listed Chicken with Brie and Caramelized Onions as a good bet - lemme see if I can find it for you.

[sadie]

Is this the thread?

Chicken Stuffed with Brie (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5882&highlight=chicken+AND+caramelized+onions)

[jem927]

Susan,

Originally posted by SusanMac
If a bit of mold grows on it, just cut it off, and eat the rest. That sounds strange, but it's true.


I had to laugh when I saw this in your post. It is so true that you can just cut it off, but we Americans have a "thing" against mold. One of the markets I frequent up in Montreal has a WONDERFUL cheese shop, and MANY MANY of the cheeses appear quite moldy. But they will gladly cut off the mold and give you however much you need. I've gotten plenty of cheese there, but there are some that are just TOOO moldy for my taste.. I can't bring myself to do it.

MissIndi, I have to try those sandwiches! They sound AWESOME!

And, Sarah, welcome to the Brie Lovers Club! It's a WONDERFUL group! ;-)


Jamie

[imloulou]

Originally posted by SusanMac
Yea! congratulations & welcome to our world. If you like brie, you should also try camembert. Yumm.

I was going to say the same thing and love them both!!

I also have to admit to cutting off portions of "not so good/going bad cheese" to get to the good stuff...if it is as good as brie or camembert.

I have not frozen Brie...it just did not sound right...I have frozen shredded cheddar and mozzerella but have not had much luck with creamy cheeses. But according to the link from Susan you can...so maybe try some of it frozen, and then eat what you can without breaking the diet and then with what is left in the fridge for a while just cut the mold off and enjoy at a later date...LOL!!!

[imloulou]

Originally posted by MISSINDI


Mmmm, and if you like Camembert, you might like Cambazola (Camembert with a Gorgonzola running through it) - delish!

Thanks! This is now on my list of cheeses!!

I like Gorgonzola and Camembert...

YUM!!

[skyllo]

Thanks everyone for the tips, and recipes...it might be a smaller and smaller bit of cheese to ever make it to the freezer! And the cambazola, I've never heard of that but I'll have to check that out. One of the best meals I had when I was living in Portland, OR was sandwich that came with fries and gorgonzola cheese dipping sauce. Cheese makes everything better. And when I go to France (hopefully in september) I intend to live on a week on baguettes and bricks of all sorts of cheese (oh and maybe a bottle or two of wine!)

Sarah

[momcancook]

I have chopped up frozen brie (that might have been fozen too long), and tossed it with hot tortellini, garic and roasted red peppers.
It turned out great! Now, I freeze every little bit of brie I have left!:p

[gaja]

Originally posted by NewMrsG
I agree - brie is one of my favorite things!

Here's my favorite thing to do with brie -

Brie with raspberry preserves (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/104798)

MrsG - Thank you so much for posting this recipe! We had friends stop by for drinks yesterday afternoon. I made the brie recipe and served it in a large plate with lots of fruits (grapes, strawberries, nectarines), sliced baguette (regular and whole-wheat/nut), and a bowl of spiced nuts. It was beautiful and delicious, perfect with some chilled white wine. This is my new favorite recipe for entertaining :)

[oceanjasper]

This is my favourite brie recipe. It is so good! I once had a brie and shrimp pizza that was to die for, but I have never tried to make it myself.

Brandy-Nut Brie

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans or cashews, chopped
1 tbsp Brandy or Whisky
7 1/2 oz round Brie cheese

Crackers (the harder variety is better to scoop with).

Stir together sugar, nuts and brandy.

Score the top of the cheese. That means to cut slashes into the harder layer of the cheese.

Place the Brie on an ovenproof platter.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes, until cheese is softened.

Mound sugar mixture over cheese and bake 2 to 3 minutes more until sugar is melted.

Serve warm with crackers.