Is there anything better than a good schmear? Whether it’s as simple as butter or margarine on a piece of toast or a delicious bagel with cream cheese spread on it: we love a good schmear. We also love one food stuffed with another. Mushrooms, meats, and many different vegetables lend themselves to being stuffed with a rich, creamy filling. Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey, and Shallot Spread deliciously fits the bill for all of these uses.
For some, just the mention of blue cheese turns them off. Some people really just don't like blue cheese; however, the blue cheese flavor in this spread isn’t strong. People I know who don’t care for blue cheese are thoroughly surprised when they taste this spread and really love the sweetness of the honey paired with the slight bite of blue cheese.
Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey, and Shallot Spread is extremely versatile in its uses too. Recipes as simple as Fried Blue Cheese stuffed olives present a yummy way to use this spread.
How to Make Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Stuffed Olives:
Ingredients
FOR THE FRIED OLIVES
1 Jar of Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread
40 pitted Spanish green olives dried thoroughly
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
½ cup regular Panko bread crumbs
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Canola or vegetable oil for frying
Stuff each olive with Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey, and Shallot spread and set them aside. Be sure you dry the olives well before stuffing. Using a large pot or dutch oven, fill about 1/3 of it with oil, and heat it to 350°F.
Set up 3 small bowls: place flour in one, beaten eggs in the second, and breadcrumbs in the third bowl.
Place olives (5-8 at a time) in the bowl of flour and toss to coat. Transfer olives to the egg bowl, and fully coat them with egg. Move the olives to the bowl of breadcrumbs and toss to coat the olives.
When the oil is fully heated, place the prepared batch of olives in, and fry them for about 30-45 seconds. Then removed them and set them aside while you fry the rest of the olives.
If you are preparing these blue cheese stuffed olives for a party, you can easily make them ahead of time so that you’re not frying while guests are arriving. Just follow the steps above and refrigerate the olives. When it’s time to serve, reheat the stuffed olives in the oven at 400°F for just 2-3 minutes.
It’s also easily incorporated into meat dishes, adding just the right amount of sweetness with just the right amount of blue cheese flavor to align perfectly with the saltiness of the pancetta. Here is a how-to video for you to try at home! One of my favorite ways to use this spread is to simply use it as a schmear on a fabulous steak like a fillet mignon! Yum!
Pair this cheese spread with a lovely, lively Riesling for a gourmet experience. The sweetness of the wine with the tanginess of the cheese makes for the perfect taste partnership. We have several delicious recipes on the website for our Blue Cheese, Honey, and Shallot spread, and we’d love to hear about any innovative ways you have used our spread in your cooking.
In these days of having to deny ourselves of the most basic comforts of human contact, sharing this decadent, rich spread with the people in our homes can bring a little unexpected food joy during this unprecedented time in our lives. Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey, and Shallot spread is an easy way to bring gourmet flavors to your table without having to go to a restaurant. Enjoy!
