Thursday, May 20, 2010

'MAY YOUR LIFE BE LIKE A WILDFLOWER ... ' ~ CHEVRE and MOREL CHEESECAKE

"May your life be like a wildflower growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day"

~ Native American proverb

Yellow Lady's Slipper
(Cypripedium Calceolus L.)
Orchid Family

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CHEVRE and MOREL CHEESECAKE
(Goat Cheesecake with Mushrooms)

~ Savory Cheesecake from France ... Routas Culinary Director Frances Wilson
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Base:

1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
5 Tbsp. melted butter
course salt & freshly ground pepper

Topping:

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 washed and finely chopped leek
4 oz. washed fresh morel mushrooms
(or favorite wild mushrooms)
12 oz. fresh chevre
(or favorite goat cheese)
12 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup creme fraiche
1 lightly beaten large egg
1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley or thyme
3 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. salt
2 egg whites

  • Preheat oven to 350ยบ.
  • Combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and butter in a bowl. Season with salt & freshly ground pepper. Press into base of a 9-inch springform pan.
  • Heat butter in a pan and add leeks. Cook over low heat to soften the leeks. Add morels. Cook for a couple of minutes. Allow to cool.
  • Place chevre, softened cream cheese and creme fraiche. Mix in the egg, chopped herbs, flour and salt. Add leeks and morels and combine.
  • Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold into the mixture. Pour mixture over the base.
  • Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour our until almost set. Cool in oven for a further hour. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve as appetizer or lunch dish with green salad.






NOTE: Found in swamps, bogs, wet woods. Flower is yellow, inflated pouch, single or sometimes 2 per stem. Petals are long, narrow, twisted, and mottled with brown or purple. Stem is leafy with 3-6 broad, parallel veined leaves that somewhat sheath the stem.
(Michigan Wildflowers in Color)


Protected Michigan Wildflower ~ DO NOT DISTURB

31 comments:

  1. joey,
    i love this proverb...if we could all learn to live this way.
    this is a wonderful wildflower...it looks like it belongs in the bogs.
    do you think dried morels would work if i soak them first in this recipe?
    hope you are enjoying all that is spring.

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  2. I would never have thought this combination would work, but it sounds delicious. I am always looking for new appetizers.

    I had forgotten about the lovely lady slipper. I had these many years ago in my old old house. Thanks for the beautiful photos.

    Eileen

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  3. Mornin', Marmee, and thanks! An orchid lover, I get so excited when my Lady's Slippers blooms both here in my wildflower garden and at the lake. I adore morels but have never prepared them dried. Lucky to find most fresh, I'm not a fan of dried mushrooms, even quality gourmet blends like Shiitake, Chanterelle, Oyster, Black Trumpet, Crimini ... so you would be a better judge. Let me know if you give this a whirl. Oh yes, spring is grand both at my home and yours!

    Hi Eileen ... morels are such a treat I love them simply sauteed but if lucky to get a stash, this recipe is good. Agee, she is a beauty!

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  4. Good morning Joey. I was just looking at some expensive orchids on another site. Amazing how much this one resembles them--except for the color.

    I don't think I've ever seen one except in photos.
    Marnie

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  5. Beautiful Joey..i always love to see what you'll share next..fabulous!! Gorgeous photos and love the proverb..special!!
    Kiki~

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  6. Beautiful Joey! One of the first wildflowers I learned about when in junior high school biology was the Lady's Slipper, and it is still my favourite wild flower... a phenomenal creation.

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  7. Your images are amazing as always. Are these from your garden? It is going to be a busy day moving everything out of my greenhouse today and into the garden. It was wonderful to spend the morning enjoying your photos.

    JOEY... you have to come visit me sometime in the BGgarden. Seriously...do you every drive south to Ohio?!

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  8. Joey, I SO adore how you combine the recipes, images, and literature in your blog. All lovely things, tied together with much thought and love.

    Happy Thursday!

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  9. Joey, I you must read my mind sometimes!!!!

    Just came back from the Cabin (in Fairview) last nite. Thought I'd check with you for past Morel recipes and there you are with something different!!!

    Went up for several days to do some 'shrooming, but it's sooo dry up there finding the little beauties was difficult. But I did get enought to saute with Vidalia Onion's and maybe enough to try this Cheesecake.

    So shopping I go for some goat cheese!!

    Take care,
    Ann

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  10. A beautiful proverb, and such wonderful words to live by. The cheesecake looks intriguing. I was sure we must have had morels growing here somewhere, but despite looking, I came up empty-handed this year.

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  11. Thats a beauty of a flower.

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  12. I luv the mottled brown/purple leaves and, of course, the sweet yellow flowers. Wildflowers are the best of all blooms.

    donna

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  13. Mmmm, that's tomorrow night's tea sorted - thanks Joey!

    Beautiful photos, as ever my friend :)

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  14. Hi there best friend! ;-) A Morel Cheesecake?? hmmmm. I'm thinking I'm ready to try most anything you publish... but this? Not so much. ha.

    The next time I ever get to Michigan, could we try to get together??

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  15. Those Lady's Slippers are gorgeous and your photography really brings that beauty out. Nice work!

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  16. Joey, my friend CR makes all kinds of cheesecakes for dessert. I will tell him about this very yummy sounding recipe for an appetizer!

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  17. This recipe looks so good! I love chevre. Your photos always amaze me - they are SO beautiful. Believe me, you are certainly not a 'ho hum' housewife! You are very very talented. Thanks for sharing so many amazing recipes. Michelle. xo

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  18. Your photography is lovely and shows off these beautiful flowers to perfection. Recipe sounds yummmy!!

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  19. What a pretty yellow wildflower! And don't you just love the name? I can just imagine some fairies dancing about in little slippers.

    Now this is not your typical cheesecake, but sounds tasty--do you serve it with crackers or something else?

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  20. Indeed they do resemble other pricey slipper orchids, Marnie. I feel blessed to have them blooming in the garden. Wish you lived near to visit and see for yourself :)

    Hi Kiki ... thank you my charming friend.

    One of mine also, Di. Thank you. This is such a beautiful time of the year for wildflowers ... I can't keep up with my camera :)

    Thank you, dear Bren. Yes, these are all photos from my garden gone wild and May crazy. Can't keep up but love trying. Don't get your way much anymore (sons played football against Bowling Green ... actually, one blew his knee out there :( Would love for you to visit me also. Monica (Garden Faerie) was here last week for lunch/May wine ... shlepped her over to Detroit Garden Works and Telly's ... we had a lovely time together.

    Hi Ann ... lucky gal to even find a few morels! Even though surrounded by woods at the lake, have not been as fortunate and must pay dearly for mine from locals. Love the antique store in Fairview (right off 72) ... you are not very far from us, maybe 35-40 miles. You should come for a visit sometime this summer ... we could picnic on the lake :) We have a gang coming for Memorial weekend ... how 'bout you?

    You are not alone, Clare. Morels are like gold and though surrounded by woods when we are up north at the cottage, have yet to find the elusive fungi so must bite the bullet and pay dearly :(

    Thanks imac (you are on the trip of my dreams)!

    I'm with you, Donna. I love wildflowers, especially spring wildflowers.

    Thank you, dear Nutty Liz friend! Hope you enjoy and Happy Weekend :)

    Hello Shady, new best friend! Does that mean you are sharing your stash? Of course it would be delightful to meet ... keep me posted on your trips to Michigan. We are back & forth to the lake all summer with as much time spent there as possible but life settles down more in the fall. You just might be surprised ... this is a lovely appetizer ... savory not sweet.

    Thank you, Scott ... it's a delight to shoot things I love.

    Enjoy Kala ... Happy weekend shooting :)

    Thank you for the lovely comment, dear Michelle (daughter's middle name and who many years ago coined the phrase 'ho-hum' regarding me as a mother ... love it ... now she emulates me : ). I love chevre ... ever try it on a boboli shell with roasted red/yellow peppers and toasted pine nuts ... yummy!

    Karen, you are a dear and thank you. It has been a joy connecting with you and your lovely photography.

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  21. Hi Rose ~ you must have come in while I was commenting. Yes, for an appetizer serve with good crackers, party breads, toasted sliced baguette ... Or for a luncheon with a good salad, grape tomatoes, fresh fruit ... lovely garnished with nasturtiums!

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  22. Hello, dear Kim. For some reason, your Thursday comment just showed up ... must have been caught in a blogger traffic jam :) Thank you for your kind words. It's fun to wrap all the things I love together in a package. Happy weekend gardening :)

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  23. The "cheesecake" sounds wonderful and it might make a great appetizer for Mikey's graduation party.

    Question for you. Is trillium a protected Michigan wildflower? I remember hearing that in the past but I saw a woman picking some this week on my drive to work. (I could google it..but it's more fun asking you.)

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  24. Lovely Native American thought. I love your orchid shots Joey!! OMG! I have only seen this yellow Lady's Slipper once years ago. Beautiful.

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  25. Hi dear Lindalou ... adults guests would enjoy this taste treat ... Mikey might not :) Yes, trillium are protected Michigan wildflowers (once our state wildflower before the lake iris). I have no problem with carefully lifting them from areas designated for destruction. A good home for orphans is good :)

    You are a dear, Carol, and thank you. I bet, in that huge heaven you live in, these orchids might be hiding in a bed of similar wildflowers. Isn't spring grand!

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  26. Hi Joey, I was never a fan of goat cheese, but in recent years have really developed a taste for it. This cheesecake sounds fantastic.

    Lady slippers are gorgeous. If they weren't so pricey I'd experiment with one in a boggy spot in our swale. LOVE the quote. Hope you're having a great weekend.

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  27. Joey, always a treat to come and visit your blog. A visual treat for the eyes, and a treat for the senses.

    Jen

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  28. Hi Linda. Once your palate meets chevre, the haunting craving lingers. If you lived near, I would love to share my Lady's Slippers with you. I know, hard to find, they are a woodland gift of gold.

    As always, you are a dear Jen, and thank you. How fun to be beside you on a photo shoot :)

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  29. That is ONE beautiful flower - I haven't seen one of those in years. Thanks for posting and rekindling memories!

    (I'll have to come back a little later - still catching up on blogs)

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  30. That's a great proverb, Joey! As for the Lady's Slipper...awesome!

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  31. Thank you, Rick ... catchin' up is time consuming indeed. See ya' later!

    Hello, dear Katarina! That is one of my favorite proverbs also and, yes, Lady's Slippers are indeed awesome! Enjoyed tiptoeing through your lovely tulip garden :)

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