Cabrales Phyllo Rolls with Sherry Dipping Sauce

By á-4084

These crispy Cabrales Phyllo Rolls have the pungent, rich flavors of blue cheese paired with the crispness of fried phyllo dough and when dipped in a sherry-infused dipping sauce they make a sophisticated appetizer perfect for the holidays. The best part about these appetizers is they can be made the night before and served fresh out of the fryer once your guests arrive.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/2 cup for brushing and frying
• 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 2-ounces Cabrales or other blue cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup sweet sherry
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
• 8 sheets of phyllo dough, plus more in case of breakage

Details

Servings 24
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins
Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cream cheese and Cabrales, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the filling into a bowl; let cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sherry, beef broth and raisins and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir the cornstarch mixture, whisk it into the sauce and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

On a work surface, stack the phyllo sheets and cut them crosswise into 4 strips, each 4 inches wide by 12 inches long. Arrange 4 strips on a work surface with the short sides facing you; keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Brush the strips lightly with olive oil. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling at one end of each strip and roll them up, making about 3 turns to create small cylinders, then fold in the sides. Brush the folded sides with olive oil and continue to roll up the cylinders. Set the rolls on a plate. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling.

Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and cover with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. Add 10 to 12 of the rolls and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the rolls to paper towels to drain while you fry the rest, adding more olive oil as needed. Transfer the phyllo rolls to a platter and serve with the sherry dipping sauce.

MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE:

The phyllo rolls can be prepared through step 3 or until they are completely assembled and ready to fry. Then, refrigerate overnight. Fry directly from the refrigerator. The sauce can be refrigerated overnight also.