Iceberg Wedges with Pancetta Gorgonzola Dressing

Cook Time: 8 min

Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large garlic cloves or 2 small, minced
6 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges


Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.


Stir the buttermilk, sour cream, and garlic in a medium bowl to blend; mix 2/3 of the cheese. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste.


(The dressing can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir to blend before using, adding more milk to thin the sauce, if necessary.)


Arrange each of 6 lettuce wedges on 6 plates. Spoon the dressing over the lettuce. Sprinkle with the pancetta and remaining cheese and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Grilled and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Gorgonzola

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
* 12 ounces turkey sausage, casings removed
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
* 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
* 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano leaves
* 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
* 1 cup (4-ounces) Gorgonzola
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
* 6 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

Directions

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.
Add the turkey sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked
through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove
the pan from the heat. Stir in the mascarpone cheese. Add the thyme,
oregano, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of Gorgonzola, 1/2 teaspoon salt and
1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Brush the mushrooms on both sides with the remaining oil and season
with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms, stem side down, for 3
minutes. Turn the mushrooms over and grill for 2 minutes until tender.
Fill each mushroom with the sausage mixture and top with the remaining
Gorgonzola. Return the mushrooms to the grill and cook until the
stuffing is warmed through and the Gorgonzola starts to melt, about 5
to 7 minutes.

Cook's Note: The assembled mushrooms can also be placed on a baking
sheet and cooked under a preheated broiler until warmed through.

Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
* 1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) Gorgonzola, crumbled
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the porcini mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside
for 30 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Using a slotted spoon,
remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Reheat the stock to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over
medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the
onions are tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and
stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine
has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and
stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue with
remaining stock, adding 1/2 cup at a time, and allowing each addition
to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture
is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir
in the Parmesan, Gorgonzola, chives, salt and pepper. Transfer the
risotto to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Steak Salad

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

* 1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 large head Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
* 3 cups fresh baby arugula
* 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
* 4 ounces Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled
* Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon),
pan-fried or grilled and chilled

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, red
onion, baby arugula and cherry tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Toss
the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt
and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on a platter.

Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices. Arrange the steak slices
atop the salad and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Drizzle more
vinaigrette over the steak slices and serve.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

Yield: 1 2/3 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender.
With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil.

Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

* 36 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette bread, about 1 loaf
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 8 ounces Gorgonzola, sliced
* 3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted,
about 3 minutes.

Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Pizzettes with gorgonzola, tomato and basil

Pizzettes are bite-size pizzas, and you can top them with any of your favorite pizza toppings. This is a bit of a variation on the classic margherita — I find the gorgonzola and sweet cherry tomatoes make a great appetite enhancer.

Other combos to try are grated fontina cheese, chopped mushrooms, and prosciutto, or coarse sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and fresh rosemary.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ball (12 ounces) purchased pizza dough

• 5 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

• 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Roll out the pizza dough into a ¼-inch-thick round. Using a 2 ¼ - to 2 ½ - inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 30 dough circles.

Arrange the circles on 2 large, heavy baking sheets. Sprinkle the Gorgonzola cheese over the circles. Top with the tomatoes, pressing them gently into the dough.

Bake until the pizzettes are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Drizzle the pizzettes with the oil, then sprinkle with the basil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the pizzettes on a platter and serve immediately.

From: msnbc