Camembert en Croûte with Salted Caramel Balsamic Pears

Baked cheese is one of my favorite ways of serving semi-soft cheeses. The baking process enhances the cheese flavors and makes its texture even creamier. Served with fresh, or cooked fruits, (check HERE for a recipe with quince cooked in spiced red wine) the combination is even tastier.
In the following recipe, I took this combination a step further, and baked the cheese, along with cooked pears, “en croûte”, i.e. in a buttery puff pastry crust, and the result was simply irresistible.

Chicken Liver with Balsamic Vinegar and Date Syrup, with Israeli Couscous

Chicken livers, much like other offal, are not very popular cooking ingredients these days – most probably because they require some preparations before using. It is a shame, as chicken livers are highly nutritious, with high content of heme iron, folate, B and A vitamins.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Butternut Squash

After defrosting a few packages of butternut squash, I ended up not using all of them as planned.

Colorful variation on Caprese Salad

It’s hot outside, so I thought about preparing a nice quick salad that doesn’t require cooking, and yet is filling like a cooked dish. Caprese is exactly this kind of salad.

Balsamic vinegar and Date syrup Roasted Chicken

Balsamic vinegar is a wonderful condiment to have in the kitchen. Its mild acidic and sweet flavor is great in vinaigrette dressings, and only a few drops of it on Mozzarella cheese, or strawberries, are enough to elevate their flavor to new levels. Marinating meats in Balsamic vinegar adds deep flavors and color, and the dish I have here is a good example for it. If you’re into bold flavors and aroma, you’ll love this dish.

Crostini with Fresh Mozzarella and Caramelized Pears

Crostini (“little toasts” in Italian) are a great way to make an easy yet impressive appetizer. The toppings are endless and are up to your liking, so mix and match.
I like the combination of cheese and fruit, as seen here. * If you don’t have Vegetarian friends coming over (like I had the day photos were taken), add some good quality thinly sliced Prosciutto on top of the cheese.