Goat Cheese Pesto And Sun Dried Tomato Terrine Food

GOAT CHEESE, SUN-DRIED TOMATO, AND PESTO TORTA

Steps:

• Mix goat cheese and cream cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine goat-cream cheese mixture with the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (again).
• Line a 2-cup ramekin or a small bowl with plastic wrap, extending the wrap over the sides. spray the plastic wrap with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spread half the goat-cream cheese mixture evenly in the bottom of the ramekin. Cover with pesto, then with the cheese tomato mixture. top with remaining goat cheese mixture. Fold wrap over the final cheese layer and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Invert the torta onto a platter and peel off the plastic wrap. Garnish with basil and serve with baguette slices.
• **The torta can be made 2days ahead and refrigerated. This torta can be so gorgeous if you pay attention to making clean, well defined layers.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PESTO TORTA

Steps:

• Finely chop garlic in processor. Add basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, oil and lemon juice. Process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Transfer pesto to medium bowl.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes in processor. Add tomato paste and process until mixture is almost smooth. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and blend well.
• Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides. Spread 3/4 cup cream cheese-butter mixture evenly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, then half of pesto mixture. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining tomato mixture, 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture and remaining pesto. Top with remaining cream cheese-butter mixture. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Invert torta onto platter. Peel off plastic. Garnish with basil sprigs and toasted pine nuts. Serve with baguette slices.

GOAT CHEESE, PESTO AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO TERRINE

Steps:

• In a small dry pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour onto a plate to cool. (The nuts will continue to cook after you remove them from the heat so be sure that you don't let them brown too much - they can easily burn!)
• Line a 2 cup bowl (try to use a bowl with sharply sloped sides) with a piece of plastic wrap. (Be sure to cut a large enough piece of plastic wrap that you have several inches of plastic wrap extended over the sides of the bowl.)
• In a large mixing bowl with a fork, mash together the goat cheese, ¼ cup of cream, salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix until well blended. If the goat cheese seems very dry, add up to another ¼ cup of cream - you want the mixture to be soft but not soggy.
• Spoon about 1/3rd of the goat cheese into the lined bowl, pressing down gently with a spoon to pack the cheese into an even layer. The spread the pesto over the cheese covering it completely (you will want some of the basil to peak out of the finished terrine, so make sure the pesto reaches the outer edges). Then top the pesto with another 1/3rd of the cheese (I found it helpful to drop the cheese with a teaspoon all over the pesto and then gently spread to cover the pesto evenly). Next, add the sun-dried tomatoes in a layer and sprinkle with all but about ½ tablespoon of the toasted pine nuts. Finally, add the remaining layer of goat cheese.
• Fold the plastic wrap edges over the top of the final layer of cheese and gently pack down. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (may be refrigerated for longer).
• About a ½ hour before serving, remove the terrine from the refrigerator. Place the bowl in a shallow bowl of very warm water for about 30 seconds (you only want the warm water to go halfway up the bowl). Then pull on the edges of the plastic wrap to loosen the terrine from the bowl.
• Place your serving dish over the glass bowl, making sure that the plastic edges are not under the terrine. Then invert the terrine onto your serving dish. If the terrine does not slide out immediately, leave it inverted for about a minute to allow the weight of the terrine to break the suction in the bottom of the bowl. If it still doesn't come out, try placing the bowl in warm water again and repeat the above steps.
• Once the terrine is out, gently peel off the plastic wrap. Drizzle with a little olive oil and let sit for half an hour to warm up. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with crackers or sliced bread.

SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND CHEESE TERRINE

Steps:

• Line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, draping the wrap over the sides and ends of the pan (Just like lining a shoe box with tissue paper).
• Spread one cup of the Fontina cheese on the bottom of prepared pan, covering entire surface.
• In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the cream cheese and goat cheese, mixing thoroughly.
• Spread half the cream cheese mixture over Fontina cheese layer.
• Spread half the pesto over cream cheese layer.
• Spread half the sun-dried tomatoes over pesto layer.
• Sprinkle half the pine nuts over tomato layer. Press down lightly with your hands.
• Sprinkle one cup Fontina over pine nuts.
• Repeat all layers , ending with a layer of Fontina cheese on top. Your loaf will be about 3" high.
• Fold plastic wrap over surface of cheese and cover pan with aluminum foil. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or freeze for up to one month. To defrost, remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature for about 8 hours.
• When ready to serve. Unwrap top of loaf pan and invert the pan onto a platter. Lift pan up and remove foil and plastic wrap.
• Serve with crackers or pita bread wedges.

PESTO, GOAT CHEESE, AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread pesto evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle goat cheese over pesto.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, half-and-half cream, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over goat cheese in pie crust. Arrange sun-dried tomatoes on top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until done.

ANGEL HAIR WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley and stir. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve.

GRITS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°; spray two 2 cup single-serving casseroles or baking dishes with cooking spray.
• Bring stock, butter and garlic to a boil; whisk in grits gradually until bubbling; reduce heat to moderately low, cover and simmer for 8 minutes, whisking frequently.
• Whisk in 1/2 cup half-and-half and simmer another 5 minutes, whisking frequently; add remaining half-and-half and simmer another 5 minutes,whisking often, until very thick.
• Stir in pesto and thyme; scatter the goat cheese over the surface and bake 15 minutes, until cheese softens; garnish with chives and serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE PESTO SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD (MAKE AHEAD)

Steps:

• Line an 8 x 4 loaf pan with plastic wrap.
• Process the first five ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
• Spread one-third of the cheese mixture in the lined pan.
• Top with the pesto.
• Spread one-third of the cheese mixture over pesto.
• Spread the chopped, drained sun dried tomatoes next.
• Top with the remaining cheese mixture.
• Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Invert spread onto serving plate. Garnish, if desired, with tomato slivers and/or herb leaves.
• Serve with french bread slices (or crackers).