Mini Cornbread With Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Food

MOIST RED PEPPER CORNBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, flax, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the corn, 1 cup cheese and pepper., Transfer to an 11x7-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the peppers with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and arrange them cut-side down. Broil until beginning to brown and soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, mascarpone, orange zest, lemon zest and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well with a rubber spatula. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag with a decorative tip. Fill each pepper evenly with the cheese mixture, being careful not to overfill. Sprinkle with the chives. Store in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.

MINI CORNBREAD WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Butter 4 mini loaf pans (3 1/2 x 6 inch).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in sugar and cornmeal.
• In separate bowl mix together butter, eggs and buttermilk. Stir in corn kernels.
• Mix wet ingredient with dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Leave 1/2-inch of space at top.
• Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool at least 5 minutes.
• Goat Cheese Spread:.
• Puree roasted red pepper, in food processor.
• Add goat cheese.
• Transfer to bowl and garnish with chives.

MINI BELL PEPPERS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place peppers on the baking sheet and roast 8 to10 minutes (small peppers - less than 2 inches long - will cook faster), turning them over halfway through. The peppers should be soft but not charred, except perhaps in a few spots. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If there are some larger peppers in the bag and they haven't softened in 10 minutes, return to oven for another 5.
• While peppers are cooling, make filling. Combine goat cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until mix is very smooth, at least one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and process for another minute. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch star tip.
• When peppers have cooled, slice off ends just below the shoulders. Carefully remove any seeds and membranes. The peppers should be intact, but sometimes, they split down one side. Place any that have not split upright in a small glass or cup to facilitate filling, and pipe in goat cheese mix. Lay those that have split on a plate, pipe on the filling and close the pepper around the filling. Arrange stuffed peppers on a plate or platter. Serve at once, or chill until 30 minutes before serving. Bring to room temperature so cheese is soft and creamy.

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.

PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sliced roasted peppers, and stir together for about a minute until well infused with the oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the basil (if using) and goat cheese. Remove from the heat.
• When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook until al dente - firm to the bite - following the recommendations on the package. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water into the frying pan, and stir well so that the goat cheese begins to melt. Drain the pasta, and toss immediately with the pepper mixture in the pan. Serve.