Rock Shrimp Cheesecake with Creamy Salsa Verde

Recipe courtesy Chef Eric Stein, Church’s Texas Chicken

Servings: 10 appetizer portions

Creamy Salsa Verde

1 1/2 pounds    fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 each              jalapeño peppers, roughly diced

2 each              poblano peppers, seeded and roughly diced

1 large              white onion, diced

4 cloves            garlic, peeled

1/2                   cup       olive oil

As needed        kosher salt

1/2 cup             cilantro leaves

2 Tablespoons   fresh lime juice

1/3 cup             crème fraiche

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatillos, peppers, onion, garlic, and olive oil. Season with salt.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a large sheet pan and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are very well caramelized, turning every 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer vegetables and all liquids to a blender. Add in the cilantro, lime juice, and crème fraiche and pulse on medium speed until the you achieve your desired salsa consistency.
  5. Season with salt as needed and transfer to a container until ready to serve warm, or refrigerate for later service.

Crust

1/2 cup             Real California butter, melted

1 cup                fine bread crumbs

2/3 cup             grated Real California Dry Jack cheese

  1. Combine the butter, bread crumbs, and Dry Jack in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
  2. Press mixture tightly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a buttered 9-inch springform pan.

Rock Shrimp Cheesecake

1 cup               Real California requesón cheese

1/2 cup             Real California heavy cream

3 each              large eggs

1 cup                grated Real California Dry Jack cheese

1 pound            Real California cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons   butter

2 Tablespoons   minced garlic

4 each              scallions, thinly sliced

1 pound            rock shrimp tails, shelled and deveined

1/3 cup             diced sundried tomatoes, oil packed

1 Tablespoon    shrimp seasoning

As needed        fried plantain chips

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In the bowl of a large mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend together the requesón cheese, cream, and eggs until smooth.
  3. Add in the Dry Jack and cream cheese and blend on medium-high speed until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and smooth. Change the paddle to the whip attachment and whip the mixture on high speed for 30 seconds to aerate the mixture.
  4. Refrigerate cheesecake base until ready to use.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter, garlic, scallions, shrimp, tomatoes, and seasoning. Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until the shrimp tails are just cooked through. Remove mixture from the heat and set aside to cool slightly before adding to the cheese mixture.
  6. Stir together the shrimp mixture and the cold cheesecake base until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Place the pan in a water bath coming halfway up the sides of the pan and place it in the oven.
  8. Bake for 90 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set when jiggled.
  1. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before unmolding the springform pan.
  2. Once the cheesecake is free from the pan, portion it into 10 equal wedges and serve warm with fried plantain chips and 3 Tablespoons of Creamy Salsa Verde