Goat Cheese Spread With Herb Olive Oil 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 COATED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy baking sheets. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the herbs, lemon zest, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using about 2 teaspoons of cheese for each, form the goat cheese into 1-inch diameter balls. Roll the cheese balls in the herb mixture to coat completely. Arrange the cheese balls on a platter. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over and around the cheese balls. Serve with the crostini. Garnish with herb sprigs.
• The crostini and cheese balls can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese balls.

GOAT CHEESE SPREAD WITH HERBS AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Put the goat cheese, cream, olive oil, and wine in a food processor (or mix in a bowl with a wooden spoon). Pulse just to blend. The mixture should be spreadable; if it's too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons more cream and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper, pulse again, and taste, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the herbs for sprinkling, add the rest to the processor. Add 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest. Pulse once more to blend. Line a small (about 1 1/2 cup) round bowl or cup with a sheet of plastic wrap and fill with the cheese mixture. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. To serve, invert the bowl onto a serving platter and peel off the plastic. With the back of a spoon, level off the top of the cheese and make a small shallow depression. Drizzle olive oil over the top, filling the depression. Sprinkle with the reserved herbs and lemon zest. Arrange the crackers or bread slices, tomatoes, and celery around the cheese and let guests serve themselves.

FRESH TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE STRATA WITH HERB OIL

Steps:

• For the Filling: Combine the goat cheese and cream in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip together the cheese and the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For the Herb Oil: Combine the herbs in a food processor and pulse to chop the herbs. With the machine running add the oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• To serve: Using a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes. Top each tomato with a spoonful of the goat cheese mixture. Place a few tomatoes on a serving plate, drizzle with herb oil, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.

CHICKEN AND VEGGIE WRAPS WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• For the chicken: Combine the vinegar, honey, olive oil, mustard, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place the chicken in a shallow dish or large zip-top plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the goat cheese spread: Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until minced. Add the goat cheese, chives, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Process until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the wraps: Heat a grill pan (or outdoor grill) to medium-high heat.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the grill. Add the eggplant, bell peppers and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• To assemble the wraps, spread the goat cheese spread on the tortillas. Top evenly with the chicken and vegetables. Roll up, burrito-style, and cut in half.

LEMON-HERB OLIVES WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small skillet, combine the first 5 ingredients; heat over medium heat just until fragrant, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in olives; heat through, allowing flavors to blend. Cool completely., To serve, place cheese on a serving plate. Stir basil into olive mixture; spoon over cheese. Serve with crackers.

SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND HERB MARINADE OVER GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• The night before, in a bowl, mix all ingredients together except the goat cheese. Stir until well mixed. Use enough oil to fully saturate with some extra settled on bottom of bowl.
• Cover and refridgerate overnight. You can occasionally take it out of the fridge and shake it up a bit.
• About an hour before serving, take out of fridge and bring to room temperature. It's ready to go when the oil is no longer gelled.
• Chop mixture in food processor just enough to blend together. Pour over log of goat cheese. Serve with toast rounds.
• Cooking time means to marinate overnight.

HERB AND LEMON GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Place goat cheese in small bowl.
• Mix thyme, lemon peel and garlic in another small bowl. Season with black pepper.
• Mix half of thyme mixture into goat cheese.
• Add olive oil to remaining half of thyme mixture.
• Form cheese into 2 1/2-inch round; flatten slightly.
• Place in center of plate. Spoon oil-thyme mixture over top of cheese.
• Serve with toasted baguette slices.

GOAT CHEESE IN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Place garlic and shallots in bottom of a wide necked glass preserving jar.
• Layer goat cheeses alternating with sprigs of herbs.
• Push juniper berries and bay leaves down sides in decorative pattern and cover completely with olive oil.
• Cover and let marinate 1 week to 1 month in the refrigerator.
• Enjoy!
• Note: If using soft goat cheese, you may layer in a square or rectangular container with lid, so cheese won't flatten.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Serve with crackers or a thinly sliced baguette.

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE SPREAD / DIP

Steps:

• Arrange cheese in a shallow dish in a single layer. Scatter olives, sundried tomatoes and basil over and around it.
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Pour over cheese.
• Marinate a few hours in the fridge or overnight. Serve at room temperature with grilled or fresh bread.