# Goat Cheese



## crewsk (Sep 16, 2004)

My mom gave me about an 8oz. container of Rondele Bread Essentials Goat Cheese last night. What can I use it for? I ate some just straight last night cause I wanted to try it & now I just want to eat it with a spoon!


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## Raine (Sep 16, 2004)

Chilled Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons

Serves/Makes:8

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice, preferably organic
coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
***Croutons:***

6 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon finely minced garlic
coarse salt and coarsely ground white pepper
12 (1/4-inch thick) slices bread cut from a baguette
In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and release their juices. Add the thyme, basil and tomato juice and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, until the flavors have intensified. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth. You may have to work in batches. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours, or until well chilled. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mash the goat cheese with a fork. Add the oil, chives, and garlic, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. About 15 minutes before serving, take the soup from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lightly toast the bread slices. Spread with the herbed goat


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## Raine (Sep 16, 2004)

Linguine with Potatoes and Goat Cheese

Serves/Makes:4


3 cloves garlic
1 pound linguine
1 medium baking potato -- peeled and chunked
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cup basil leaves -- fresh
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 cup pasta cooking water
4 ounces goat cheese
basil leaves for garnish, optional
In a large pot of boiling salted water; blanch garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Remove garlic; set aside. 

In same water cook linguine for 5 minutes; add peeled potato. Cook until pasta is al dente, according to package instructions. Add frozen peas; drain. 

Meanwhile, in a blender, puree reserved garlic with basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, and pasta water; season generously with coarse salt. In a large bowl, toss with pasta mixture and goat cheese. Garnish with more basil leaves.


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## Raine (Sep 16, 2004)

These cheeses range from soft and mild, to hard and heady. Here's how to separate the goats from the goats. 

Introduction 
Cheese - and other dairy products -can be made from any milk, so goats' cheese is not a variety in itself but a range of cheeses that happen to be made with milk from goats. 

When young, fresh and characteristically bright white in colour, goats' cheeses (or chèvre, the commonly used French term) taste very mild, rather like cows' milk but with a light tang that is almost lemony. The older and firmer the cheeses become, the stronger and more 'goaty' they will taste. 

Culinary Uses 
Fresh and semi-soft goats' cheeses are excellent grilled or melted. Use semi-soft varieties for salads. 

The strongly-flavoured hard varieties need to be used judiciously and are usually best saved for the cheeseboard, though can be used grated for sprinkling. 

Storage Notes 
Make sure all goats' cheeses are well-wrapped and sealed in a plastic box. 

Semi-soft and hard varieties should be wrapped in foil or waxed paper. 

Soft spreadable goat's cheese should be kept in a sealed plastic tub.


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## Raine (Sep 16, 2004)

Apple and Goat Cheese Clafoutis








Serves 6

3 Gala apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thinly)
2 Eggs
5/8 c. Sugar plus additional for sprinkling
3/8 c. Butter (soft, unsalted)
1/2 c. Goat cheese (soft)
3/8 c. Flour
Salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugar with egg, butter and cheese. Sift dry ingredients together, fold in with rest of ingredients.

Divide evenly into buttered and sugared non-stick pans or rings. You may also use a 9 inch springform pan or cake pans lined with parchment paper.

Overlap slices of apple over the batter and sprinkle with sugar. You will use about 1/2 of an apple per clafoutis.

Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes for individual rings (35-40 minutes for the springform pan) until brown on top. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.


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## crewsk (Sep 16, 2004)

The one I have is soft & spredable. Almost the same texture as cream cheese, just firmer.Rainee, thank you so much for the info & recipes!


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## pancake (Sep 16, 2004)

Hi crewsk 

I love herbed goat cheese on crostini and tapenade, so fresh and light : This recipe is from Wolfgang Puck

HERBED GOAT CHEESE: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 (7 or 8-ounce) log goat cheese 

Combine the parsley, chives, thyme, and pepper and place on a flat surface. Roll the log of cheese in the mixture, coating all sides and retaining the shape of the log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. 

CROSTINI: 
2 slices bread, preferably sourdough 
Extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 garlic clove

Arrange the bread slices in a baking tray. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool, then rub with garlic clove. For each of the crostini, spread 1 tablespoon Herbed Goat Cheese and top with 1 teaspoon Black and Green Olive Tapenade. 

BLACK AND GREEN OLIVE TAPENADE:
1 cup Nicoise olives, pitted 
1 cup small green French olives, pitted 
1/4 cup oven-dried tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon capers 
1 garlic clove 
1 anchovy fillet 
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves 
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 
1/4 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except the olive oil and crostini. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil. Refrigerate in a covered container.

Enjoy!


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## crewsk (Sep 16, 2004)

Thanks Moonlight! I'm not big on olives, but my 4yr old loves them. The tapenade sounds like it would be right up her alley!


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