Want to really wow your Oscar party guests this Sunday? Serve them the same grilled cheese that Elton John himself will be passing out to guests at his viewing party!
Each year, the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party is the hottest ticket in town.
This year’s event co-chairs include Heidi Klum, Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban, Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burtka, Jim Carrey, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, Katy Perry, John Waters, and more. Now in its 22nd year, the annual event has raised nearly $40 million for the Foundation which provides support and treatment for those living with HIV and AIDS.PHOTOS: Try This DIY: Gold-Star Plates for Your Oscar Party
Executive chef Wayne Elias (and his Crumble team) will be feeding the cavalcade of stars. Chef Wayne, with his partner Chris Diamond, worked alongside chef Gordon Ramsey to develop a mouth-watering, Elton-approved menu. The star of the spread is a dressed-up comfort food staple: raisin bread grilled cheese. Layered with gorgonzola, marscapone, and Asian pears, the appetizer appears at the party every year for one reason: it’s Elton’s favorite.
Serve as full sandwiches or sliced into quarters as appetizers, just don’t skip on the Champagne.
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Grilled Raisin Bread Cheese Sandwiches with Gorgonzola, Marscapone, and Asian Pears
Recipe by: Chef Wayne Elias
Makes: 3 full sandwiches or 1 dozen hors d’ouevres
Ingredients
6 slices of thin sliced raisin bread
3 oz. marscapone cheese
3 oz. gorgonzola cheese
1 Asian pear peeled, cored, sliced thin
2 oz. butter for pan grilling
Directions
1. Place six slices of raisin bread on work table and sprinkle the marcapone cheese evenly on all slices.
2. Sprinkle gorgonzola evenly on three of the raisin bread slices and then layer three slices of pear on top of the cheese. Place the slices together to close the sandwich.
3. In a saute pan, melt 2 oz. of butter and over low to medium heat grill the sandwiches on both side until golden brown.
4. To serve: Trim the edges off the sandwiches and cut into a criss cross to form four little triangle pieces. Garnish with fresh herbs.
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