Herbed Goat Cheese Baguette Slices 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.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE BAGUETTE SLICES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cheese, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper; roll into a 3-in. log. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. , Spread over bread; top with tomato slices. Sprinkle with additional pepper if desired.

HERBED GOAT-CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Divide baguette slices between 2 shallow baking pans. Lightly brush tops of slices with oil, then lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until toasts are crisp but not hard, about 10 minutes.
• Stir together goat cheese, herbs, shallot, and pepper. Season with salt.
• Beat cream with a whisk until it just holds soft peaks, then fold into cheese mixture. Serve with toasts.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mash the goat cheese, ricotta, and herbs together. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Fold in the beaten egg.
• Cut the baguette into thin slices on the bias. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast lightly. Remove from heat and change oven setting to broil.
• Spread cheese mixture on baguette slices, return to baking sheet, and broil lightly. Serve warm.

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 ground 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. Surround cheese with baguette slices and serve.

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.

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.

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.