Yum Peaceful Cooking: Mushroom and Gruyere Cheesecake #SundaySupper

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Mushroom and Gruyere Cheesecake #SundaySupper


Summer is in full swing! We have bbq's and picnics to plan and attend, with the promise of great food and good times ahead, and memories to be made.

Some of our best memories have been made during the summer months when we gather with our closest friends and family, spending hours around the pool, eating, drinking, playing games and then finishing the night off gathered around the fire pit as things wind down.

One of my dearest friends gave me wonderful cookbook several years ago called What Can I Bring by Anne Byrn. This book is a great resource for bbq's and picnics. Some time ago (as in a few years ago) this savory cheesecake recipe really caught my eye. I've been wanting to make it but was having a difficult time wrapping my head around a cheesecake that wasn't dessert.



Silly me!!

Think of it as a cheese frittata of sorts. The crust is made with bread crumbs, although I think crackers would work wonderfully. Of course there's no sugar involved. It's just creamy cheesy deliciousness that seriously makes you wish that it wasn't so high in calories cuz you really want another slice. 

Mushroom and Gruyere Cheesecake
recipe from What Can I Bring by Anne Byrn
Printable Recipe

The Crust
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups fine bread crumbs (I used plain)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

The Filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (about 2 cups). I used cremini
3 8oz packagers of cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt
1/2 to 1 tsp powdered garlic (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 large eggs
4 oz shredded Gruyere cheese (about 1 cup)
1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Ground Pepper

The Crust Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350'F. Prepare a 9" springform pan by rubbing the tablespoon of butter on the bottom and around the side. Set aside.

Spread the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and allow them to toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Place toasted crumbs in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and optional 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon (depending on taste) and stir to combine.

Transfer the buttered bread crumbs to the springform pan and press firmly along the bottom and about 1/2 way up the sides.

Place the springform pan back into the over for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the crust is a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

The Filling Instructions
Reduce the oven temperature down to 325' F

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and saute, stirring often until the mushrooms release their liquid. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl cream the cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the option 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of garlic (depending on taste), the nutmeg and cayenne pepper and mix until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixture until just combined before adding the next egg. 


Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between two bowls. In one bowl, add the spinach and green onions, stirring to combine. Spoon into the bottom of the crust.

Spoon the sauteed mushrooms over the spinach filling.

In the second bowl cream cheese mixture, stir in the Gruyere cheese and carefully spoon over the mushrooms.

Place the springform pan onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 1 hr and 15 minutes, or until just set.


Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly (you can use a kitchen towel to keep the oven door slightly ajar) and let the cheesecake sit in there to rest for an hour. Then place it on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before serving (about 30 - 40 minutes).

If you're making this ahead of time, by all means store it in the fridge over night.

Here's the beauty of this magnificent beast....it tastes best at room temperature. It's good cold too. Warmed up? It loses something. The texture is altered and the flavors aren't as predominant. This is what makes it such a great picnic food! No worries about keeping it hot or cold....its best as is!!


For more wonderful picnic food ideas, take a look at what some of the others have made:
Beverages
Appetizers
Mains
Sides
Salads
Sandwiches and Wraps
Sweets
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17 comments:

  1. OMG! This looks delightful. This woule be awesome to prepare for the family or a gathering with friends. Love it.

    Velva

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  2. Oh, my, what a showstopper! The layers are just gorgeous...and I would never pass up a slice with all those mushrooms, spinach and cheese tempting me!

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  3. Now this is my kind of cheesecake for sure.

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  4. I love a savory cheesecake and this one looks truly amazing!!

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  5. I love, love, love how this looks, and your photos are terrific!!

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  6. I am a huge fan of room-temp foods like this. Big flavor here!

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  7. Oh WOW! I have never had a savory cheesecake, but this one has me seriously drooling!!

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  8. I'm in love. Completely, utterly, 100% in love. I am definitely trying this out, what a genius idea!

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  9. Hmmm...savory cheesecake does intrigue me. I'd definitely like to give this a try.

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  10. Pinned and +1d. This looks fabulous! I love savory cheesecakes. They're so surprisingly different for an appetizer.

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  11. Nom, nom, nom! I've made savory cheesecake a couple of times and it's soooo good. Yours looks amazing. Pinning!

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  12. Incredible! I think this is perfect for a picnic, and maybe dinner tonight!

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  13. This is so different from anything I've seen! I adore it!

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  14. Incredible, my mom would go CRAZY for a plate of this

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  15. Oh my goodness this looks amazing! Love savory cheesecake!

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  16. Oh my goodness I love the idea of a savoury cheesecake. I need to try this.

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  17. Very rarely do I have a chance to eat a savory cheesecake. I have to make this!!!! The few times I have had one, it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond special. Wow, thanx for the recipe!

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