For me a piece of cheese and a crusty baguette make the perfect marriage. Add a glass of wine and you have a menage a trois made in heaven.
France produces over 200 types of cheeses and it can be quite difficult to choose a favorite. Some varieties are more known than others. One of my favorites is Brie – or as a connoisseur would call it “true Brie”.
Considered to be perhaps the most popular cheese in the world, authentic Brie has a creamy texture and a sweet buttery flavor with a hint of mushrooms.
Brie’s popularity soared in the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, not all Bries are created equal. French Law requires that Brie be made from unpasteurized (raw) milk. In 1985 the FDA began the require that all cheeses be pasteurized or cured a minimum of 60 days which pretty much outlawed true Brie in the United States.
To make matters worse, France, like England with its cheddar, neglected to protect/trademark the term Brie. As a result, the name Brie became a generic term allowing for a wide variety of knock-offs to flood the American market.
However, in 1980, Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun were awarded AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) status and were protected under French law. They are considered true Brie and both are produced just a few miles east of Paris.
Brie de Meaux is more delicate than its sister Brie de Melun which is more rustic and full flavored. Good luck finding either of them in the United States. They are both made from raw milk and thus prohibited from entering the US.
The only way for Americans to experience true Brie is to travel outside of the US.
For this recipe I used a Brie-style cheese made from pasteurized milk. The use of soaked cedar plank adds a subtle woodsy flavor to the baked brie which further enhances the flavor of the mushroom topping.
I usually bake cedar-planked Brie on the bbq using indirect heat. Today I’m doing it in a 400 degree oven.
If you don’t have a cedar plank on hand, use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- 1 wheel firm, ripe brie about 13.5 oz room temperature
- ½ lb fresh shiitake mushrooms
- ¼ lb fresh oyster mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- The zest of one lemon
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Soak Plank in lukewarm water for 2 hours. You may have to weigh it down to submerge.
- Preheat oven to about 400 degrees.
- Put mushrooms in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil just enough to moisten.
- Add garlic slices, lemon zest, thyme, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- In a large skillet heat one table spoon of olive oil. Add the mushroom mixture and the wine. Cook until golden brown. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Drain the plank and place onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Lightly brush the plank with olive oil. Using a warm knife, carefully cut the brie wheel in half horizontally. Try to not damage the outside rind. It will keep the Brie from leaking. Place both halves rind side down onto prepared cedar plank. Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or just until cheese starts to slightly bubble. Do not overcook or it will start to overflow.
- Remove the brie from the oven. Keep it on the plank. Top each half with half of the mushroom mixture.
- Serve directly from the plank with a nice crusty baguette or slices of country bread.
Awesome photos and great info about Brie – one of my favorite cheeses
Looks amazing! Thank you for the recipe.