Toasted Tortillas With Herbed Goat Cheese 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 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.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Add the goat cheese, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, thyme and pepper to a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Mix on low speed until you have a smooth, blended paste, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and mix again. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the lemon juice and beer; mix until all of the liquid is absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix one last time to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated and evenly dispersed.

GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

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.

TOASTED TORTILLAS WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450° F.
• In a bowl mash together all ingredients except tortillas. On oven rack toast tortillas in middle of oven, turning them once, until just golden and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side, and cool on a rack. Spread tortillas with goat cheese mixture and cut into serving pieces.

FRESH HERB AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED GRILLED PORTOBELLOS

Steps:

• Clean the dark black gills from the mushrooms, then drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place over medium heat on an open barbecue grill, face down. After a few minutes, turn them over and continue to cook.
• In a mixing bowl combine the goat cheese with minced garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and the mixture of fresh herbs torn by hand.
• Mix the cheese until all of the ingredients have been incorporated and a nice creamy texture is achieved.
• When the mushrooms begin to get soft and give off a little of their juice, add a nice spoonful of the goat cheese mixture right into the center of each portobello.
• Close the lid of the barbecue and let cook until the cheese gets bubbly and the mushrooms are nice and soft.

TOSTADAS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND SALSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lightly oil 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange tortillas on the baking sheets.
• Spread salsa on the tortillas and sprinkle with cilantro. Top with goat cheese and chives.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Cut each tostada into 4 wedges and serve hot as an appetizer.
• If you like it hot, add a few jalapeno slices to each wedge.

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.

THIN CRISP TORTILLA PIZZAS WITH TOMATOES & GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Using 2 baking sheets, place 2 tortillas side by side on each sheet. With a pastry brush, lightly brush each tortilla with some of the olive oil. Flip the tortillas over and brush again. Bake 8-10 minutes, flipping over the tortillas and alternating the placement of the baking sheets halway through the cooking time. Also, during the first few minutes, use a knife point to pop any air bubbles that might develop. The tortillas shouldbe golden and crisp when done. (The tortillas may be prepared to this point up to 3 days in advance. Cool completely, seal in a plastic bag, and refrigerate until ready to use.).
• Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the 4 tortillas. Place the tomatoes over the cheese.
• Combine the garlic, olive oil, and basil and drizzle the mixture over the tomatoes.
• Bake about 12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Alternate the placement of the baking sheets halfway during the cooking time. Remove the pizzas from the oven, then sprinkle bits of goat cheese all over their tops. Serve immediately.