Cream Cheese Many Ways

Amarante

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 10:14 am

The flavored cream cheese they sell by me are delicious but very expensive. I haven't made all of these but the shallot chive was very good

CREAM CHEESE MANY WAYS

Excerpt From: Leah Koenig - Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today's Kitchen

Over the years, I have developed a few tricks for hosting a successful brunch or Yom Kippur break fast gathering: (1) Make one large main dish like a baked French toast, a killer noodle kugel (see page 139), or a couple of large frittatas (see page 41) that can serve a crowd. (2) Have plenty of bagels, coffee, and orange juice on hand (ask your friends to bring the bubbly to make mimosas). (3) Keep everything else simple. Breakfast, after all, is hardly a time for fussing. That’s where these cream cheese riffs come in. They can be made ahead of time and deliver a lot of bagel-enhancing flavor with minimal work. Think of the following combinations as guidelines rather than hard-and-fast recipes. Be sure to start with room-temperature cream cheese so the mix-ins blend in easily, and tweak to your taste.

VEGGIE CREAM CHEESE

Mix together one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese with 2 Tbsp finely chopped carrots, 2 Tbsp finely chopped celery, 2 Tbsp finely chopped bell pepper (any color), and 2 thinly sliced scallions in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper “and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

SHALLOT-CHIVE CREAM CHEESE

Finely chop 2 medium shallots. Heat 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a pan set over medium heat. Add the shallots and 1 tsp sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and let cool, then mix together with one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese and 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

ROASTED RED PEPPER CREAM CHEESE

Place 1 peeled and seeded roasted red bell pepper (thoroughly patted dry with paper towels) in a food processor along with one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese and 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan. Season with pepper and process until combined. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Learn how to roast peppers on page 68.)

HERBED CREAM CHEESE

Mix together one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese with 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme, 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano, 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and 2 thinly sliced scallions in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

SALMON-DILL CREAM CHEESE

Mix together one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese with 4 oz/115 g finely chopped smoked salmon and 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

OLIVE-BASIL CREAM CHEESE

Place 6 roughly chopped fresh basil leaves in a food processor along with one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese and 1 small garlic clove. Season with pepper and process until combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the desired amount of thinly sliced pitted olives (any kind). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

HONEY-ORANGE CREAM CHEESE

Mix together one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese with 1 Tbsp honey (or more to taste) and 1/2 tsp orange zest in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

MAPLE-CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE

Place one room-temperature 8-oz/225-g package cream cheese in a food processor along with 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (or more to taste) and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and process until combined. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.