Brie with Walnuts and Honey
Happy Valentine’s Day!
To sweeten your day, try this delicious appetizer (or even a main snack).
Brie with Spiced Honey & Black Walnuts
2-4 hours before serving, set brie out and allow it to come to room temperature
and mix together the honey & spices to allow mulling of flavors.
Large wedge of brie
½ c. natural (not ultra filtered) honey*
1 T. dry mustard seeds (mix tiny reds, medium browns, a few large white if you have them)
Large pinch of ground cloves
Very small pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste**
⅔ c. black walnut pieces
While cheese warms on the counter,
mix cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper and mustard seeds into honey.
Let honey and spices mull, stirring occasionally.
Just before serving time, mix black walnuts into honey.
Top cheese with honey/nut mixture at the last minute.
Serve with crackers and/or crisp bosc pear or apple slices.
*Since crystallized is less runny, this recipe is a great way to use up grainy honey. Can add a bit of fruit juice to provide enough moisture to soften mustard seeds. Also, good local honey that has not been processed or filtered contains lots of nutrients that are nullified if heated above 120 degree F. Eating it raw gives you the full benefit of extra nutrients in good local honey.
** Salt and fresh ground pepper add contrast and complexity to the sweetness of the honey, so be generous with these.
Courtesy of Kitty Baker who delighted everyone with this treat at the Eat for Equity event last Saturday!