Raclette, Mushroom, and Honey Pastries

Raclette is a wonderful cheese originating in Switzerland. We enjoyed a variation of this appetizer at the 7th annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience held in Kohler, Wisconsin. Chef Ryan Anderson was our presenter and used truffles in his original recipe...however, for those of us who can't afford to use truffles, he suggested using other woodsy flavored mushrooms. This is to be served with my recipe for Tomato Conserve.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb raclette cheese, cut into 16 equal portions (Chef Ryan used Roth KÃ se Wisconsin Raclette, excellent!)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 14  ounces puff pastry, thawed and rolled thinly and cut into 16 portions (squares or rounds)
• 2  egg yolks, beaten
• 2  ounces honey
• 2  tablespoons  white truffle oil
• 2 -3  shiitake mushrooms, chopped
•  tomato conserve (I use Tomato Conserve)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix the honey, truffle oil, and chopped mushrooms together in a small mixing bowl.
3. Place a piece of raclette cheese just off-center on each puff pastry piece.
4. Spoon a little of the honey mushroom mixture onto each pastry.
5. Moisten the edges of the pastry with egg wash.
6. Fold each pastry in half to form a half-moon shape.
7. Crimp edges with a fork to seal.
8. Brush each pastry with egg yolk and bake on a silicon (or parchment) lined cookie sheet for 20 minutes until golden and puffed.
9. Spoon tomato conserve (recipe #263129) on top of each pastry and serve immediately.