Savory Herb Cheesecake
January 31, 2008
I like a good Sunday afternoon golf tournament, and baseball in the background is fine, but watching professional football is just stressful to me. Thankfully my husband gave up ranting and raving about the Vikings years ago (at least I think he did, or maybe I just tune him out now), because having to sit through an afternoon of big men crashing into each other is just painful to me.
That being said, Superbowl Sunday tends to be fun just because it’s another opportunity to have friends over and eat snacks. No need to prepare a complex meal… just whip up a pot of chili, make some cornbread, and arrange the beer cooler next to the couch. Simple, right?
This year, I may forgo the chili and try out something that looks more like the appetizer section of the menu. (Well, a fairly nice, non-chain restaurant kind of menu…)
I was in the waiting room at the clinic the other day paging through a Woman’s Day magazine when I saw the most amazing recipe for a savory cheesecake. I suppose that’s reason enough to have a Superbowl party.
So along with the cheesecake, I’ll try out the hot pecan dip from the Rothsay cookbook, and pick up some shrimp from Premier and do a little bacon-shrimpy dish. And who knows what else I might come up with.
If you have good party recipes, please share!
Savory Herb Cheesecake From Woman’s Day, January 2008
Crust
3/4 cup each pecans and dry seasoned bread crumbs
3 Tbsp light stick butter (we used Land O’Lakes)
Filling
2 bricks (8 oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1 log (11 oz) goat cheese, softened
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
3 large eggs
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp each snipped fresh dill and chives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Grated zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp minced garlic
Garnish: fresh dill sprigs and cherry tomatoes
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8 x 3-in. springform pan with nonstick foil and coat sides with nonstick spray.
Crust: Pulse pecans and bread crumbs in food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture forms moist, coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until crust is set and pale golden. Cool on wire rack. Raise oven temperature to 425°F.
Filling: Beat cream cheese, goat cheese, sour cream and Parmesan in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs until smooth, then remaining filling ingredients until incorporated. Pour into prepared crust and smooth the top.
Place pan in oven; reduce temperature to 325°F. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until light golden on top and set in the middle. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, let cheesecake come to room temperature. Remove sides from pan; slide cheesecake from bottom of pan onto serving plate, removing foil. Garnish with dill and cherry tomato halves.
Plan Ahead: You can prepare and bake cheesecake up to 1 week ahead and refrigerate.
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