Blue Cheese
Grilled Burgers with Roquefort Mayonnaise and Barbecued Red Onions
Beef and Roquefort have a long-standing culinary partnership, but the thick and sweetly smoky slices of barbecued red onions are what really make these burgers great. Keep the meal all-American with chilled beer, homemade lemonade and iced tea. A fresh peach pie with vanilla ice cream is a perfect dessert.
Radicchio Salad with Spanish Blue Cheese and Peppered Almonds
If you can't find Cabrales cheese, substitute Roquefort or Danish blue cheese.
Beet, Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad
Pour a chilled dry Gewürztraminer to accompany the salad and offer crusty bread throughout dinner.
Romaine and Roasted-Beet Salad with Creamy Roquefort Dressing
Vinegar and mustard give the dressing in this salad an assertive flavor that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the beets.
Polenta Bites with Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, and Pine Nuts
Little polenta "tarts" are filled with tomatoes, pine nuts, and blue cheese, then popped into the oven until the cheese melts.
Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves with Cream Cheese-Chutney Roulade
You can start making these savory cookies up to three days ahead. Even easier: Serve the cheese roll with store-bought crackers. (We especially liked this roulade made with a spiced cranberry-apple chutney, but any thick chutney will work.)
Grilled Asparagus with Gorgonzola Butter
Allen Susser is the man behind Chef Allen's, a favorite special-occasion restaurant near Miami. (He is also a cookbook author, has his own line of sauces, puts out a newsletter and has a Web site—www.chefallen.com.) Calling his food New World Cuisine, Susser uses an international repertoire of cooking techniques to prepare dishes with the best local ingredients. His focus on simple but powerful flavors shows in this dish.
Mushroom Salad with Endive and Roquefort Cheese
The delicate grapeseed oil in the dressing allows all the delicious flavors to come out. Regular vegetable oil can be substituted.