Cheese

Cambozola With Roasted Fennel & Olives

May 14, 2021
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Marissa Mullen
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 40 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

I love fennel in all forms. Whether it's raw in a salad or roasted in the oven, the subtle notes of anise add such a unique flavor profile to a dish. Recently while out to dinner, I had a delicious roasted fennel dish topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The combination of the sharp Italian cheese with the subtle sweet notes inspired me to transform this idea into a cheese plate. I went with a more savory theme on this plate. For cheese, I used a pungent and creamy cambozola and a robust Grana Padano and paired each with briney castelvetrano, katamala olives and homemade marinated onions. I also added a delicate prosciutto and spicy honey for a sweet kick. This is the perfect dinner party plate to welcome in the spring weather! —Marissa Mullen

Ingredients
  • 1 head fennel, stems removed and sliced into thick wedges
  • 1 splash extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinch kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder
  • 1 large wedge Grana Padano
  • 1 large wedge Cambozola
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • 6 ounces katamala olives
  • 6 ounces castelvetrano olives
  • 4 ounces pickled red onion
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • 3 ounces shelled pistachios
  • 2 ounces spicy honey
  • 1 handful fennel fronds, to garnish
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Toss fennel wedges in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. Arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 40 minutes, until the fennel browns and caramelizes towards the edges. Remove from oven and let cool.
  4. Arrange the cheese plate starting with the cheese, followed by the meat, produce, crunchy items, dip, and garnish.
  5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Marissa Mullen is a Brooklyn-based food stylist, recipe developer, photographer and cheese lover. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of the Cheese By Numbers method. She is also the author of the best-selling cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, a step-by-step styling guide for crafting beautiful and delicious cheese plates as a form of creative expression. Featured on The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Business Insider, Vox among others, Marissa is dedicated to bringing people together through creativity, food and entertainment.

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