Baked Radicchio And Herbed Goat Cheese Food

HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Find a small, wide-mouth canning jar or small glass vase (3 1/2 inches in diameter by 4 inches high), just large enough to hold the two goat cheeses on top of each other with a little room to spare. Cut each cheese in half horizontally, making 2 rounds from each. (A piece of dental floss makes this easier.)
• Place half of the first disk flat in the jar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with 1/2 teaspoon dill, 1 teaspoon basil, and a few red pepper flakes, and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place another disk of cheese on top and repeat the seasonings, herbs, and oil. Continue with the remaining cheese disks, piling one on top of the other with oil and seasonings in between. When all the disks are stacked and seasoned, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top. Cover and set aside at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve at room temperature with bread or crackers for people to help themselves.

BAKED RADICCHIO AND HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place radicchio in large shallow baking dish. Arrange goat cheese over. Heat oil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Discard garlic. Add basil, marjoram and rosemary to oil. Season with pepper. Drizzle over goat cheese and radicchio. Bake until cheese begins to melt, about 15 minutes. Serve with bread slices.

GOAT CHEESE AND HERB STUFFED RADICCHIO LEAVES

Steps:

• Special Equipment: a deep-fry thermometer
• In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 300 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• Combine the garlic, parsley, basil, thyme, and scallions in a small, heat-resistant glass bowl. Carefully pour the warm oil over the herb mixture, Add the salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Spoon a thin layer of the herb mixture on the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch square glass baking dish. Arrange the goat cheese slices in a single layer on top. Spoon the remaining herb mixture evenly over the top of the goat cheese. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve: Place the radicchio leaves on a serving platter, carefully place a slice of marinated goat cheese in each leaf. Drizzle with additional herb mixture and serve.

RADICCHIO WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Whisk first 4 ingredients together.
• Arrange leaves on work surface. Brush center of each leaf w/marinade. Place cheese rounds in center of each leaf. Fold up leaf around cheese creating bundles, cover and chill.
• Heat seasoned grill to medium-high. Brush each wrap with dressing and grill until cheese softens and leaves slightly char.
• Arrange tomatoes slices on plate, place bundles on top drizzle w/remaining dressing, salt & pepper.
• Option: garnish with fresh thyme or chives.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Soak the sundried tomatoes in the wine for 30 minutes or overnight for best results.
• Mix the goat and cream cheeses together in a bowl, blending well.
• Remove the sundried tomatoes, chop them fine, and discard the wine. Add to cheese mixture.
• Add all other ingredients.
• Mix very well until evenly blended.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To serve in a puff pastry shell, bake the shells according to the package instructions. Cool them to room temperature.
• Place a scoop of the herbed goat cheese mix into each pastry shell.
• Return the shells to the oven and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes to just warm them.
• Best served warm with a knife to spread the herbed cheese onto pieces of the pastry.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE AND ROASTED PEPPER TOASTS

Steps:

• Roast the pepper: Place the bell pepper directly over the open flame of a gas burner, under the broiler or on a hot, glowing charcoal grill. Let the skin of the pepper blacken and blister, using tongs to turn the pepper frequently. When completely blackened, after 5 to 8 minutes, transfer to a plate to cool.
• Using a paring knife, cut pepper in half lengthwise. Cut away seeds and stem and discard. Scrape away the skin and discard. Do not rinse. It's OK if a few bits of charred skin remain.
• Cut pepper halves into long strips about 1-inch wide. Season lightly with salt. (The pepper can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of serving.)
• Marinate the goat cheese: Slice the goat cheese log into 10 pieces (each about 3/4-inch thick). Place pieces in a single layer on a plate and pour 1/4 cup oil over.
• Strip leaves from a few thyme sprigs and a rosemary sprig, roughly chop and sprinkle over the cheese. Finish with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, and a small pinch of red-pepper flakes. Cover and set aside. (This can also be done up to 24 hours ahead.)
• Set oven to 350 degrees. Cut the baguette on a diagonal into 10 slices, each about 1/4-inch thick. (If using ciabatta, cut into similar-size pieces.) Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer, then place in oven for about 5 minutes, until bread is barely toasted.
• Remove from oven and carefully give each toast a light swipe with the garlic clove. Lay a strip of roasted pepper across each toast to cover. Place a goat cheese round in the center of each toast. Spoon the remaining olive oil from the plate generously over each piece of cheese and any exposed toast.
• To finish, return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the bread is nicely browned and the cheese has gotten a bit of color, 8 to 10 minutes. Let toasts cool a bit, then arrange on a platter and serve. (They taste best at room temperature or just barely warm.) Toasts can be baked up to 1 hour ahead and popped in the oven to reheat slightly.

BAKED FIGS & GOAT'S CHEESE WITH RADICCHIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Unless the baking sheet is non stick, line it with foil, then brush the foil lightly with oil.
• Cut the figs into quarters, from the top almost to the base, and arrange on the foil. Slice the goat's cheese and arrange in the centre of the figs. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and tinged brown.
• Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients with some seasoning. Put a couple of good radicchio leaves on each serving plate. Remove the figs from the oven and place on the radicchio leaves. Scatter the walnuts on top. Drizzle with the dressing and serve warm or at room temperature.