Blue Cheese Topper
Make it tonight.
By Erin Henderson
This may be a bit inside baseball, only known to Canadians, and specifically Canadians who frequent The Keg steakhouse. But, if you know you know, and if you don’t, you wanna.
Luckily, I’m not a gatekeeper, especially when it comes to things that taste delicious.
Enter the blue cheese steak topper.
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I worked at The Keg as a server in my late 20’s, moonlighting from my reporting job (which shows just how lucrative journalism is) a few nights a week. The blue cheese topper was a cult favourite; a little add-on to any steak for a few extra bucks (and a Keg-approved upsell for me.)
I searched high and low looking for the recipe, but, of course, The Keg had it under lock and key. Serendipitously, my search (which was done during my day job in my little reporter's cubicle) for a decent replica brought me to the Epicurious website. This was around 2004, and I remember making it for Father's Day. My family loved it, and I've made it ever since.
Unfortunately, epicurious.com has now gone behind a paywall, but this is the version I've been making for 20+ years. A little from the Keg, a little from the long-gone epi recipe, but to my recollection, mine tastes pretty much the same as those long ago days at The Keg.
Blue Cheese Topper
In my research it seems most people agree The Keg uses panko breadcrumbs. I don’t remember that as part of the restaurant's recipe. I also find the composition of this crust is solid enough not to require bread.
You can use the blue cheese of your preference; I like the full throttle Stilton, but if your tastes skew to the tame side, a Gorgonzola would work to give the hint of funk without the pungency. Just be sure you use a dense cheese that isn’t too runny. You want a thick puree that will stand up to broiling.
And speaking of texture, this also makes a fantastic chip dip, just thin it out with a bit of whole milk or buttermilk.
Makes: enough to cover one, five-ounce steak. Multiply by how much you need.
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I use the Whipped Philly brand)
- 1oz crumbled blue cheese of choice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled green jalapeño chiles
- 1 Tbsp chives, minced
- 1 Tbsp melted butter, or as needed
- 3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
- Confit garlic cloves, optional, but highly recommended
How to Make It:
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients – except the garlic, if using – and mash into a thick paste about the texture of peanut butter.
- If using the garlic confit, place the cloves over top of the paste once it’s smeared on the meat, just before going into the oven.
- If using the spread as a dip, work the garlic into the mixture.
*If using mix as a steak topper, cook the steak as you normally would and to your liking. When the steak is ready, remove it from the heat, and smear the blue cheese paste over top, piled about an inch thick. If using the garlic confit, nestle the cloves into the paste. Place the steak with the blue cheese under a hot broiler to form a soft crust.
Wine Pairing
Blue cheese is one of the only cheeses that can stand up to a full bodied red wine. Especially if you're enjoying this on top steak (as opposed to serving it as a dip), reach for a wine that has heft, firm tannin, and ripe flavour to compliment the tangy, salty cheese.
A California Cabernet, which leans more fruity than earthy, is a fantastic choice, as is Amarone, a red wine from the Veneto which is sometimes tough to pair because it is so dense. Other options would be Argentinian Malbec, or California Zinfandel, both wines that have power but also jammy fruit flavours.