Marinated Goat Cheese With Garlic And Thyme 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.

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place the peppercorns, garlic cloves and bay leaves in a clean, sterilized wide-mouthed jar. Pour in a film of olive oil.
• Cut the goat cheese into rounds 1/2 inch thick (I get neat rounds using unflavored dental floss to cut through the cheese). Place one round in the jar and drizzle on some olive oil. Stack the remaining rounds, drizzling oil onto each round before topping with the next. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs to the jar and pour in olive oil to cover the goat cheese rounds completely. Cover the jar and leave at room temperature for several hours, then refrigerate.

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE WITH GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Cut goat cheese log into 4 equal pieces; form into balls, if desired.
• Add 1 cup olive oil into a a sterilized wide-necked jar. Add chili flakes, fennel seed and peppercorns. Add the goat cheese balls one at a time, adding a little olive oil between each one so they are fully immersed. Add lemon zest, bay leaves, thyme and garlic to jar. Pour in enough olive oil to fully cover cheese. Seal jar and refrigerate for at least a few hours (we found it best after 2 days). Lasts for up to 2 weeks.

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE WITH HERBS AND SPICES

Steps:

• Gently break goat cheese into large pieces; arrange in a serving bowl. Let sit at room temperature while you infuse oil.
• Crush allspice and coriander with the flat side of a chef's knife. Place in a small saucepan along with garlic, orange zest, bay leaves, star anise, oil, and red pepper flakes. Cook over low, swirling pan occasionally, until garlic is golden, 15-20 minutes. Pour over goat cheese. Let sit until cool, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°. Arrange bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown around the edges, 5-8 minutes.
• Sprinkle marinated goat cheese with flaky salt and serve with toast.
• Do Ahead
• Goat cheese can be marinated 3 hours ahead. Store lightly covered at room temperature.

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE WITH GARLIC, BASIL AND ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Cut goat cheese into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer in a pie plate ot baking dish.
• In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, peppercorns and allspice berries.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, basil and orange zest.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the peppercorns begin to pop, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the garlic mixture. After 5 seconds of stirring, pour the hot mixture over the goat cheese.
• Marinate in the refrigerator at least 3 hours.
• To serve, transfer the chilled cheese to a serving plate. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

MARINATED FRESH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place cheeses in a jar; add oil to cover. Add peppercorns, thyme, and dried chile peppers to taste. Cover jar tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Drain before serving.

GOAT CHEESE MARINATED WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• In a shallow dish arrange the six pieces of cheese in one layer. Sprinkle lemon, tomatoes, capers thyme, and salt over the cheese pieces. Add the rosemary sprigs.
• Pour olive oil over the cheese, making sure the oil covers the cheese (use more if necessary).
• Place cheese dish in refrigerator and let marinate for 2-6 hours.
• Bring dish to room temperature (about 45 minutes) before serving.
• Spread cheese with marinade on crostini or crackers.

GOAT CHEESE WITH OLIVES, LEMON, AND THYME

Steps:

• Heat olives, thyme, oil, zest, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small skillet or saucepan over low heat until fragrant (do not simmer). Cool to room temperature.
• Serve olive mixture over goat cheese.

TRIO OF MARINATED GOAT CHEESES

Steps:

• Cut goat cheese into twelve 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Set rounds aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic in heavy small pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until garlic is tender when pierced with small sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly; peel garlic cloves. Reserve oil in pan.
• Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Let tomatoes stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain; pat dry.
• Put 1 tomato, 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig each rosemary and thyme in bottom of 8-ounce jar. Drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil reserved from garlic. Place 1 cheese round atop herbs. Drizzle with more reserved olive oil. Repeat layering, using remaining tomatoes, garlic, herbs, garlic oil and 3 more cheese rounds. Pour in enough olive oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)
• Rinse mushrooms briefly with cold water; drain. Place mushrooms in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover and let stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy small skillet. Add garlic and sauté until just golden, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until just heated through, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Mix in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
• Layer mushrooms, olive oil and 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, beginning and ending with mushrooms. Pour in enough oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place walnuts on small cookie sheet. Toast until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
• Finely chop walnuts. Layer walnuts, walnut oil and remaining 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, seasoning each layer generously with pepper. Pour in enough walnut oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)