Holidays are all about festive appetizers and most of us serve some sort of cheese plate, or board during Christmastime. I like to step up my game a bit during the season and create something a little more special. Brie, a popular double or triple cream cows milk cheese, is already decadent enough on its own, but when topped with sautéed mushrooms, and fresh cranberries it lands in a whole new category of deliciousness.
The first step in preparing this simple, but elegant appetizer is to sautéed mushrooms and cranberries. Then, pile them high on top of a round of brie, and in this case, I chose a truffle Brie for added earthiness and down right good taste, but any good quality Brie will do. A toasted baguette, which can be warmed in the oven, works as the best utensil for indulging on this ooey-gooey dish.
This recipe is super easy and can be made within 20 minutes right before your guests arrive. It makes the perfect festive starter to any holiday party or gathering, and I think it pairs nicely with Champagne, or a red wine like Pinot Noir. Happy Holidays!
Ingredients
1 round truffle Brie or regular Brie cheese
4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms. sliced
1/3 cup fresh cranberries
1 baguette
3 tablespoons butter , divided
salt & pepper
(Serves 6)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and mushrooms. Sauté for 4 minutes or until slightly tender. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to mushrooms and stir.
2. Slice cranberries in half and add them to pan. Sauté for 1 minute and turn off heat. Unwrap Brie and place it in an oven safe dish. Spoon mushroom and cranberry mixture over top and place in oven to bake for 15 minutes.
3. While cheese is baking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush slices of baguette. Grill on stove top or bake in oven, until golden brown.
4. Remove Brie from oven and serve with toasty baguette. Enjoy!
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