As much as I like to eat and cook, I have no desire to throw a party. I have friends who plan elaborate birthdays, large dinners for 40-plus people and holiday get-togethers. From what I understand, this is of their own free will. Shocking.
I’ve hosted plenty of dinners, but my guest list rarely goes beyond one family. Generally, kids’ birthdays are last-minute pizza pickups with invitations to family friends via text the day of. Apologies to my children for never getting a proper birthday party. I’m sure I’ll be paying for their future therapy.
To those of you who aspire to be hosts: I admire you for wanting to be at the center of a gathering place, for being responsible for satisfying a crowd, for organizing details that exhaust me. Like decorations. Guest lists. Answering RSVPs. Honestly, it’s the entire thing. But, I will happily attend. I’ll even help you prepare. And of course, I will bring a dish.
Baked Brie is perfect for taking to a party because it fits all the major tenets of entertaining menus: It’s deceptively easy to make, it’s made to share and it’s a showy piece on any buffet table. This is the kind of dish that makes someone exclaim, “You’ll have to share the recipe.”
The only response you should give is a nod and smile. If you share the recipe, you’ll have to think of something different to make for the next party.
BAKED BRIE WITH ASIAN PEARS
By Mariko Jackson
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed at room temperature about 20 minutes
- 1 Asian pear
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 round Brie cheese, rind lightly scraped
- 1 egg
Set a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Peel and thinly slice Asian pear, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
In skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add pear, sugar and cider. Cook pear, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until it loses its crisp edge and sauce becomes syrupy. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir about 30 seconds.
Open puff pastry and roll it just slightly bigger with a rolling pin — about 1 inch wider in both directions. Place pastry on prepared cookie sheet. Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place bottom half on pastry and top with half of pears. Layer with other half of cheese, then place remaining pears on top of that.
Wrap pastry around cheese and seal edges by crimping them together. It’s OK if it doesn’t fully cover the top of the cheese, but it should cover most of it, with a small opening in the middle. The pastry will slide down and out as it bakes, so it’s important to keep sides well wrapped and sealed or cheese will ooze out.
Place cookie sheet with the pastry in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Beat egg in small bowl and brush over the outside of the pastry. Bake 25-30 minutes. Pastry should be golden brown and well cooked. Serve soon after baking.
Do not refrigerate before serving, but you can refrigerate leftovers and reheat briefly in the oven.
Nutritional information unavailable.
Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
