Nulaid Mushroom & Leek Cheesecake
A cheesecake but not as you know it. This savoury cheesecake is made with a salted crackers base and topped with a creamy mushroom, leek and cream cheese filling using Nulaid’s fresh eggs.
Serves: 8-12
Time: 1 hour
Recipe by: Thando Manyoni
Ingredients:
Base:
200g crackers
2 tbsp hard grated cheese
100g butter, melted
Filling:
Olive oil
150g baby mushrooms, sliced
2 large leeks, finely sliced
Handful fresh thyme
500g cream cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
50g blue cheese
500g red seedless grapes
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170°C, prepare a 20cm spring form cake tin.
Place the crackers in a food processor and blitz to a crumb, add the parmesan and butter and combine. Transfer the crumb into the prepared cake tin and press down to form the base of your cheesecake.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan, add the leeks and thyme and saute for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside. Whisk the cream cheese until soft and fluffy, eggs, blue cheese and season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Fold in the leek and mushroom mixture and combine. Pour the filling onto the crumb base and bake for 40-50 minutes until the cheesecake is golden but still has a slight wobble in the centre. Meanwhile place the grapes on a small baking tray, drizzle with honey and olive oil and bake on the lower shelf for 30 minutes until soft and juicy. Remove the cheesecake form the oven and release it from the springform tin, top with the roasted grapes and serve.
Chefs Tip:
If the cheesecake is browning too quickly, put a sheet of foil over the top to prevent it from getting any darker.
To prepare ahead, you can make the cheesecake cake and grapes a night before serving and place in the refrigerator in separate containers. Bring to room temperature to serve.