Gruyère & Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 cups French bread cubes or breadcrumbs
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup + 1/2lb (220g) Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
1 tblsp fresh fennel leaves, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 tblsp butter
1 3/4 lb (0.8kg) cream cheese
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 eggs
1/2 lb (220g) Irish Smoked Salmon, cut into little pieces
+ more for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 350°F / 180°C. Combine bread(crumbs), walnuts, 1/2 cup grated cheese and the fennel in a food processor with a blade. Chop, then add melted butter. Press onto bottom and sides of a greased spring-form pan. Refrigerate.
2. Saute chopped onion in butter until tender. Cream the cream cream in the food processor. Mix in onion, 1/2lb cheese, whipped cream, salt and pepper. Add eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Fold in the salmon.
3. Pour the mix into the crust. Place the spring-form pan onto a baking tray to catch the butter from the crust. Bake for 45 minutes until firm in the middle. Garnish with fresh fennel sprigs and some extra slices of smoked salmon.