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Savory: Southwestern Cheesecake




Source of Recipe


Chef Larry


List of Ingredients




8 oz. goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
12 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced to ¼-inch
1 large red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and diced to ¼-inch (canned is fine)
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground anise
½ tsp. pure chili paste
1 tbsp. sour cream
1 ½ tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 tbsp. fresh chives, minced
3 extra large eggs
1 red jalapeño pepper
Parsley


Recipe



Pre-heat oven to 250° F. Put a large 8½-by-11-inch cake pan with 1 ½ inches water in it, into the oven. (The oven should be preheated with the water at the time you begin actually preparing the batter.)

Soften the cream cheese by allowing it to sit at room temperature, covered, for several hours. (The goat cheese will be soft when cold and does not need to be left out.) Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onions, stirring occasionally until golden brown. Add bell peppers, cumin, anise seed and pepper paste. Continue to cook and stir for one minute. Set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.


Cream the two cheeses together until smooth. Stir the sour cream cilantro and chives into the blended cheeses. Add the onion mixture and mix well. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until all are well blended and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Oil a spring form pan lightly with olive oil.Pour the batter in all at once. Tap the pan several times, firmly, on the counter to eliminate air bubbles. Place the cake into the water bath in the pre-heated oven. Cook for one hour uncovered.

Cool at room temperature 30 minutes and then refrigerate 3 or 4 hours. Use a hot, thin knife to separate the cake from the pan. Carefully separate the bottom pan. Invert the cake, remove the pan and turn the cake back onto a service platter.

To garnish, slice a red jalapeño into rounds. Slice another in half lengthwise. Pull 12 or 14 small parsley leaves and save. Mix ¼ c. soft cream cheese with one tbsp. of sour cream and "frost" the cake. Arrange the jalapeño rounds around the cake and place the parsley leaves into the center of each round. Serve at room temperature with a great cracker or crusty bread. This cake is good chilled for up to a week.