Blue Cheese and Rosemary Grougeres

So I know this recipe doesn’t look the best, but it was one of my finalist recipes for the Portland Women’s Show.  We ended up (thankfully) making crab cakes, micro mac and chocolate Kaluha cheesecake. I liked these and Mom found them bland or something (I stopped listening when after “we are not making these at the show – they’re too fussy and……..”

Blue Cheese and Rosemary Gougeres

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Rating: Wedge
Serves: 8

2/3 cup water
4 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons Rosemary (I used one and it wasn’t quite enough)
Zest of one lemon
1 garlic clove finely minced
¼ teaspoon salt
24 pitted Kalamata olives
5 ounces Cambozola cheese

In a small saucepan, add water and butter.  Over low heat, melt butter, then turn up heat and bring rapidly to a boil.  Add flour and remove pan from heat.  Stir mixture until a flour is incorporated and forms a ball.  Allow to cool until warm to the touch (about 10-15 minutes).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease two baking sheets.  Gradually beat the eggs into the flour paste.  Add rosemary, lemon rind and garlic until paste is smooth.  Stir in cheese.

Drop or pipe small mounds of dough onto cookie sheets (about 2 inches).  Press olive into each gougere.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.  Gougeres are best hot or warm but may be served at room temperature.