Take your wine and cheese pairing up a notch with these crispy Brie bites. They are served alongside a warm, fruity berry compote. We love blueberries that have been frozen from the summer harvest, but whatever you have access to can work here. Try cranberries in the fall, pomegranates in the winter, or strawberries during the springtime. Either way, they can be enjoyed with one of the food-friendliest wines: Beaujolais.
Ingredients:
- 1 8-oz. wheel of brie
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
- Place the beaten eggs, flour and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Add salt and pepper to the flour bowl, and add the rosemary to the panko breadcrumbs. Toss together to combine mixtures evenly in their respective bowls.
- Cut brie wheel into 8 even-sized wedges. Then cut each wedge in half horitzontally to create 16 bite-size pieces. Dip each piece of brie into the flour, then into the egg and lastly into the breadcrumbs, coating well each time. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until ready to cook.
- While the brie is chilling, make the compote. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine half the blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining blueberries and continue cooking for 8 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove brie from fridge. In a medium frying pan over medium heat, add about 1½” of oil. Allow the oil to heat up to 350-365ºF. When hot, add 4-5 pieces of brie at a time and fry for about 2 minutes, flipping in between. When golden, remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat in batches for all pieces of brie.
- Remove blueberry compote from heat and serve warm in a bowl for dipping or dollop on the crispy brie bites.
Find out more about the technical notes that make Beaujolais and the Gamay grape so perfect for this dish. We’ve paired it specifically with Beaujolais Cave des Vignerons Chénas Selection de la Hante Moulin-à-Vent 2019 in our Weekly Tasting, Live! Holiday Wine Tasting: Pinot & Beaujolais.