# Chili Cheesecake with Baked Polenta Crust



## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 20, 2010)

Chili Cheesecake with Baked Polenta Crust
Serves 16

Baked Polenta
1 quart water
1 Tbs sea or kosher salt
1 c. cornmeal
3 Tbs unsalted butter
1 Tbs chili or chipotle powder
Bring salted water to a boil, whisk in cornmeal slowly, breaking up lumps. Cook till thickened, lower heat and simmer stirring occasionally for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter and chili powder. 
Pour into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan and level. Bake at 350 ° for 20 minutes. 

Cheesecake Filling
3-8 oz pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
½ tsp sea or kosher salt
2 Tbs flour
3 eggs, beaten
¼ c sour cream
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar (or favorite Mexican cheese)
4 Anaheim Peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
(may add 2 Tbs diced jalapeño or 1-4 diced chipotles in adobo sauce)
　
Beat cream cheese until fluffy add in salt, flour, eggs, sour cream, zest and lime juice. Stir in cheese and peppers until well mixed. Pour onto hot polenta crust and bake at 450° for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 300° and continue baking for 55 minutes or until center _looks set_. Cool on wire rack. Chill.
“Frost” with sour cream topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and sliced black olives. Serve with tortilla chips, salsa and beef fajitas if desired.

Alternate Crust:

2 cups crushed tortilla chips, 1/8th cup melted butter and 1 tsp chili or chipotle powder.  Press into bottom of 9 inch springform pan.  Bake as for polenta and proceed from there.  I prefer the polenta


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## Shrek (Sep 21, 2010)

I've stuffed this one down my neck a few times and it's better than sex. Well, ok.....second place.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 21, 2010)

Shrek said:


> I've stuffed this one down my neck a few times and it's better than sex. Well, ok.....second place.


 
My own clapper section and a smart one!

Thanks, Babe!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 21, 2010)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> My own clapper section and a smart one!
> 
> Thanks, Babe!


 
Okay, we promise not to goosh all over each other, folks.  Just teaching him the ropes. Can't help it I  him!


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## 4meandthem (Sep 21, 2010)

This sounds really good.

I make an appetizer cheesecake with smoked salmon and cavier to be served with crackers.

I get a mix of reactions when I call it a salmon/caviar cheescake even though it is deliciuos.I'll post the recipe sometime.

I bet you get a similar experience with the name.

What else could I/you call it?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 22, 2010)

4meandthem said:


> This sounds really good.
> 
> I make an appetizer cheesecake with smoked salmon and cavier to be served with crackers.
> 
> ...


 

Yours sounds great, I would love the recipe.  Yeah, people always go "HUH?" until they taste it and then there isn't enough.

I don't know what else to call it.  I say, "Chili Cheesecake...there's no sugar, it's not a dessert, just taste it!"


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## 4meandthem (Sep 22, 2010)

I looked all over the place for the mag I got it from.I kept that mag for 15 years at least.I can't find it now! Oh-Noooooo!

It was just a small cheesecake (6-8 inch)with smoked salmon(4-6oz) blended into the cream cheese and then you fold in red lumpfish caviar(small jar)

I guess I will have to make one up now.I am thinking about a crust made with garlic bread crumbs or maybe some pine nuts.
Some chives or dill folded in may be good too.A little red onion diced in a seperate ramekin and some bagel chips to spread on.
I am going to work on this one.Any suggestions?

On Edit:I found this online which is pretty close but they use black caviar.
I would stick with the red since some break and the black color streaks wouldn't be that good looking.

http://www.cookadvice.com/recipes/caviar_cheesecake-36712-recipe.htm


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## Andy M. (Sep 22, 2010)

4meandthem said:


> I looked all over the place for the mag I got it from.I kept that mag for 15 years at least.I can't find it now! Oh-Noooooo!
> 
> It was just a small cheesecake (6-8 inch)with smoked salmon(4-6oz) blended into the cream cheese and then you fold in red lumpfish caviar(small jar)
> 
> ...





You could use garlic (or other flavor) croutons for the crust.  Just pulse in a food processor and go.


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## Andy M. (Sep 22, 2010)

The issue with the name is the word 'cheesecake'.  If you could tie in salmon and caviar with another name, it would work better.  I guess people are not ready for a savory cheesecake.

I'd make it without a crust and serve it as a dip/spread.


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## Kayelle (Sep 22, 2010)

That looks like a winner of a recipe Fiona!  I have it all printed out and ready to try.

4me, I'd use red caviar too, but the thought of adding heat to caviar sounds really weird to me.  Was your original recipe baked also?  The caviar doesn't burst?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 22, 2010)

4meandthem said:


> I looked all over the place for the mag I got it from.I kept that mag for 15 years at least.I can't find it now! Oh-Noooooo!
> 
> It was just a small cheesecake (6-8 inch)with smoked salmon(4-6oz) blended into the cream cheese and then you fold in red lumpfish caviar(small jar)
> 
> ...


 

I lost my original recipe for chili cheesecake, so I started winging it with my basic NY cheesecake recipe, minus the sugar and lemon juice/zest.  Oh and the graham cracker crust.  I now feel confident enough with this to add any savory flavor I want...I'm working on a pizza cheesecake...

I like the crust on the caviar, it could be used for a lot of different savory flavors.


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## ChefJune (Sep 22, 2010)

WOW!  Fiona, I hope you don't mind my "borrowing" your polenta crust for my spicy Mexican Cneesecake?  I've been making it for years with a crushed Triscuit crust, but I think I'd like the polenta much better.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 22, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> The issue with the name is the word 'cheesecake'. If you could tie in salmon and caviar with another name, it would work better. I guess people are not ready for a savory cheesecake.
> 
> I'd make it without a crust and serve it as a dip/spread.


 
It doesn't really dip or spread that easily.  I am getting a tartlet pan and will be making individual chili cheesecakes to take to work.  It's going to be fun!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 22, 2010)

Kayelle said:


> That looks like a winner of a recipe Fiona! I have it all printed out and ready to try.
> 
> 4me, I'd use red caviar too, but the thought of adding heat to caviar sounds really weird to me. Was your original recipe baked also? The caviar doesn't burst?


 
Thanks, Kayelle!

Anytime folks are ready for my Pumpkin cheese cake (low-carb and full carb variations) just let me know.

As I come up with winning combinations, I'll post them.

I love cheesecake!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 23, 2010)

ChefJune said:


> WOW! Fiona, I hope you don't mind my "borrowing" your polenta crust for my spicy Mexican Cneesecake? I've been making it for years with a crushed Triscuit crust, but I think I'd like the polenta much better.


 
Borrow away.  I just added chipotle powder to a basic polenta recipe.  I thought of the polenta because the crushed tortilla chips would not hold it's shape.  And I LOVE polenta!


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