Garlic And Sage Marinated 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.

HERB AND GARLIC MARINADE

Steps:

• Whisk together ingredients in a nonreactive dish. Arrange meat in dish; rubwith marinade. Cover; refrigerate forlength of time specified below, turning meat occasionally.
• Removemeat from refrigerator; let it come to a cool room temperature beforecooking. Remove meat from the marinade; discard the marinade. Usinga paper towel, wipe off any large piecesof herbs or garlic from meat. Seasonmeat with salt and pepper.
• Cook meat as desired. Garnish withherbs; serve with lemon wedges.

GARLIC AND SAGE MARINATED CHEESE

Steps:

• Sterilize two 16 oz. conatiners with lids. Set aside.
• Cut the goats cheese logs crosswise into 1" thick rounds, or cut the feta or mozzarella into large cubes. Divide cheese among sterilized jars, adding equal amounts of spices and herbs as you go, being careful that the flavorings are evenly dispersed throughout each jar. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the cheese by about 1".
• Using a table knife, work around the inside edges of the jars to dispel any air. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Makes two 16 oz. containers.

ROASTED PORK WITH SAGE, ROSEMARY, AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using a long knife with a thin blade or a clean sharpening steel, make a channel lengthwise through the center of the loin running from one end to the other.
• Mix the chopped sage and rosemary in a small bowl. Add the minced garlic and 1 tablespoon oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then poke it through the channel in the meat (I find it easiest to work from both ends more or less at once).
• Season the outside of the loin generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the loin. Brown the meat on all sides and on each end, about 8 minutes in all.
• Add the herb sprigs and crushed garlic to the pan and put it in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the loin and roast 15 minutes more, basting from time to time with the pan drippings.
• Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil, and set aside in a warm place for 15 minutes to rest the meat. To serve, cut the loin into generous slices, season with sea salt, and drizzle with the pan juices.
• Chef's notes:
• If you are roasting a larger, thicker loin, make two channels through the meat so the seasoning can be better distributed. Cook the loin longer.
• If you want, you can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. I prefer pork cooked so it's still a little pink at the center. You can expect a reading before the final resting of about 135°F. If you like your pork more thoroughly cooked, cook it until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.

MEDITERRANEAN MARINATED CHEESE

Steps:

• Cube cream cheese into 36 pieces.
• Place on serving tray.
• Combine remaining ingredients.
• Pour dressing over cheese and toss lightly.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

GARLIC PORK SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the pork, garlic, sage, salt and crushed red pepper. Run the meat mixture through the meat grinder outfitted with the die with the largest holes. Repeat so that all of the meat goes through the grinder twice.
• Place half of the meat mixture in the bowl of a standing mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Add half of the water and half of the Parmesan and beat on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining meat, water and cheese.
• Make, cook and eat a test patty to make sure the sausage is delicious.
• Attach the sausage-stuffing attachment to the meat grinder, keeping the grinder blade and die in place also.
• Keeping the sausage casing very wet, slide a manageable length onto the sausage stuffer. Place a generous amount of the prepared sausage mixture into the grinder pan. Give the casings a slight bit of resistance by holding onto the sausage stuffer with your three last fingers and letting the casing slip through your thumb and forefinger. Turn the machine on a medium-low speed and fill the casings, being careful to avoid any air bubbles. To get the feel for stuffing the sausages, you might have to do a couple tries. The first couple might be too loose or too tight; that's ok--think of them as the first pancake (the one that never comes out right that you have to throw away).
• Twist the casings to create sausages that are even in size. Tie each with butcher's twine to keep them nicely sealed. Prick the sausages with a pin or skewer all over to allow steam to escape while cooking (you don't want to have a blowout).
• Preheat a grill or saute pan. Cook the sausages until cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

WARM SAGE AND GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Heat the butter and oil in a small skillet over high heat.
• 2. When bubbling, add sage and cook for about 30 seconds.
• 3. Then, add garlic and cook until you can smell it.
• 4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in parsley.
• 5. Season with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper.