Warm Camembert Appetizer Recipe

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I’m planning a rose-themed Valentine dinner, and I’ve decided to start the evening out with a warm appetizer.
Camembert fits the bill perfectly.

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Camembert is like Brie: eat it at room temperature, not straight from the fridge. Also, like Brie, it makes an easy, warm appetizer – especially when adorned with something sweet, fruity, and/or nutty. It is essential that you serve a Camembert with an excellent baguette or fantastic, crusty bread.

Serve it whole so that the two of you can share it, which physically and symbolically promotes intimacy. Keep it simple, in order to focus the experience on the two of you rather than on the food. Serve the Camembert warm, mainly for sensual reasons, but also to allude to the warmth of an intimate love. Sure, you could’ve chosen Brie, but remind your Valentine that, like Camembert, you may not have been the most obvious choice … but you turned out to be the more flavorful, funkier, and ultimately more interesting choice.

Prep: cooking the Camembert takes all of five minutes, so it’s best to start by setting the table. Take care; if you want this sexy appetizer idea to work, the table must set the tone.

Fried Camembert pairs with many things, among them jam. In keeping with a romantic theme, consider raspberry or something with an equally amorous, Valentine red. In keeping with my theme, I’m going to infuse some raspberry jam with a drop of rose water.^[1] For each bite-size piece of cheese, plan on no more than a quarter tsp of jam; otherwise, you’ll start to overpower the cheese. A mini glass condiment bowl – holding not much more than a couple tablespoons – and an espresso spoon are perfect for this.
If you can serve the baguette whole, and rip it into pieces by hand as you eat it, then you should. That magnifies the sensuality of the experience. You also encounter the bread’s texture in a more interesting way when you tear it by hand. This will produce a lot of crumbs; some people may consider it barbaric – even if it is gastronomically superior. So, slice the bread if you wish. Don’t worry if the bread dries out a bit; that will actually complement the cheese.
I’d like to pair the Camembert with a rosé – again, in keeping with my theme – tying it in with a bit of word play. But I find a rosé-jam pairing to be problematic. I might wander toward Pinot Grigio, sparkling water, or even a hard cider.^[2] Whichever way you decide to go, get your beverage and glassware set up during your prep.

Serves 4, but I think the presentation is nonetheless right for two. With two, you’ll have leftovers … huge bonus.

Ingredients

1 Camembert round (8 oz.)

1 egg

1-2 Tbs milk

½ cup plain breadcrumbs (you could get by with less)

2 Tbs olive oil

For serving: bread (essential), beverage and accoutrements (optional)

Directions

Remove the Camembert from its wooden box and remove its foil or paper wrapping. Set it on the counter for at least a half-hour, to let it come toward room temperature. If you cook it cold, the cheese will be warm but firm when you cut into it. If you let it sit out first, the cooking process will partially melt the cheese. Either way’s OK. Camembert is one of the most meltilicious cheeses of all time, but go with your preference.
Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Add milk, and beat until the mixture is homogenized. Set aside. Pour half the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl. Have the remaining crumbs at the ready. Dip the cheese into the egg wash and take care to make sure the whole thing is coated. Pull it out of the wash and let the excess drip away. Place the cheese into the breadcrumbs and pour the reserved crumbs on top of it. Use your fingers to push and pat the crumbs so that the cheese is fully coated. Shake off excess crumbs and repeat the whole process: back into the egg, then a second coating of crumbs.
Heat oil in a small sauté pan, over moderate heat. Once it’s at the sizzling point, add the cheese. It should take 2 minutes to brown the first side, but check it ¾ of the way through. Flip it and brown the other side. Then, using tongs, rotate the cheese on its side a bit, to make sure the whole thing gets browned, all the way round. Serve immediately.

Notes:

[1] Raspberry-Rose Water Jam is so easy to make so long as you use utter restraint: stir less than ¼-tsp rose water, drop by drop, into 2 Tbs jam (or preserves), tasting along the way. Get it right, and you’ll open up the raspberry with a subtle floral note; get it wrong, and you’ll recreate your grandmother’s perfume.

[2] Cider: try a Strongbow Gold Apple with Camembert and raspberry. Absolutely delicious, and – short of champagne – this is my clear preference. Class it up a bit by serving the cider in champagne flutes.