Ingredients
For the baked cheese
225g/8oz full-fat cream cheese
225g/8oz Caerphilly cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole free-range eggs and 1 free-range egg yolk
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
100g/3½oz pecans, roughly broken up
knob of butter, for greasing
For the fennel salad
150ml/5¼fl oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp clear honey
2 oranges, zest and juice of one, the other segmented
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 fennel bulb
handful watercress, to serve
Method
1. For the baked cheese, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Place the cream cheese, Caerphilly, salt, freshly ground black pepper, whole eggs, egg yolk and tarragon into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Fold in the nuts.
2. Grease a muffin tray (with eight holes) with butter and spoon the mixture into the muffin tray holes. Flatten the top of each mound with a palette knife and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until just set.
3. For the fennel salad, place the oil, honey, orange zest and orange juice into a small bowl. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk to combine.
4. Slice the fennel very finely across the bulb on a mandoline. Place the fennel and the orange segments into the bowl with the dressing and stir to coat. Leave the salad for ten minutes for the flavours to combine.
5. To serve, divide the salad among eight small plates and top with the baked cheese and a little watercress, to garnish.
