Savory Gruyère Cheesecake

This was served as an appetizer at a dinner party last Saturday night and it was so good we got the recipe....

Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups toasted fine bread crumbs (Italian or French)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
3 - 8 oz. Pkgs. Cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground red pepper
4 eggs
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1 10-oz. Pkg. Frozen, chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
3 Tbs. Minced green onions
3 Tbs. Unsalted butter
3/4 pound mushrooms cleaned and finely chopped
salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Butter a 10 in. springform pan. Press crumbs onto bottom and side of pan. Bake 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Beat creamcheese, cream, salt, nutmeg and red pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Divide mixture between two bowls. Stir Gruyère cheese into one bowl. Stir spinach and green onions into the other. Pour spinach fill into cooled crust.

Melt three tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. Sauté mushrooms over medium-high heat until all moisture evaporates, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mushrooms over spinach filling. Carefully pour gruyere filling over mushrooms.

Set pan on baking sheet. Bake for one hour. Turn off; cool cheesecake in oven one hour with door ajar. Serve warm directly from the oven or at room temperature. May be made a day ahead, then warmed in a moderate oven.

June 15, 2005