Cheddar Crisps with Roasted Grape Relish               

 tags (edit): Bake Advance Gourmet Magazine @Vogel @Try Soon! Hors dOeuvres Appetizers  

 

These tangy Cheddar crisps puff slightly while they bake, making them a versatile base for hors d'oeuvres.

Ingredients

CHEDDAR CRISPS
1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (preferably white)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
GRAPE RELISH
1 pound seedless red grapes stemmed and halved lengthwise (3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup pitted green olives (2 1/2 oz), finely chopped
1/4 cup celery finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh jalapeņo chile finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest finely grated
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup pine nuts (1 3/4 oz), toasted
 

Instructions
 Special equipment: a nonstick mini muffin tin with 24 (1/8-cup) cups

MAKE CHEDDAR CRISPS:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Blend Cheddar, flour, and cayenne in a food processor until combined well. Add butter and blend until dough starts to clump, about 30 seconds. Turn out onto work surface and gently knead until combined well. Using palms of your hands, roll dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rope (about 20 inches long). Cut rope into 24 equal pieces and press each piece onto bottom and halfway up side of a muffin cup.

Bake until golden and slightly puffed in centers, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely. Leave oven on.

MAKE GRAPE RELISH:
Toss grapes with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon oil in a bowl, then roast on a foil-lined baking sheet until shriveled, about 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature on sheet on a rack.

Toss together grapes, olives, celery, onion, jalapeņo, garlic, zest, vinegar, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Spoon relish onto cheese crisps and serve immediately.


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Yields: 24 pieces
     Gourmet magazine, October 2005, page 128

 notes:  Cheddar crisps can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

* I skipped the grape relish and filled the crisps with roasted red pepper walnut spread. They tasted like "those fancy deli cheese twists" according to my husband, and the guests at my Oscars party gobbled up two batches of them. However, the crisps were a lot of work for something that tastes like crackers from the store.

* The small crisps were nothing but FABULOUS. Since I didn't have the ingredients for the grape relish, I filled them with homemade peperonata (bell peppers, mushrooms, red onion, garlic, olives, capers, etc.)...it was to die for ! Can't wait to find another idea for the filling ! What a wonderful recipe !!!

* I thought this recipe was fabulous. I've made it twice, the second time with seedless black grapes which made for a better more colorful presentation. I would recommend that you double the recipe for the cheddar crisps, and just hand press them into flat 'chips', otherwise the relish falls right off the puffed muffin-like forms. But I love this sweet/olive sharp cheddar combination!

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