Goat Cheese Marinated with Lemon & Herbs
With entertaining season in full force, this flavorful and festive appetizer will please a crowd for any get-together on your calendar. Creamy goat cheese is marinated with lemon, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil, then topped with salty capers and sweet sun-dried tomatoes. Served simply with crackers, it’s high on presentation factor but as easy as can be to prepare ahead. I keep the ingredients in my kitchen at all times, so I can whip this up in a pinch.
Goat Cheese Marinated with Lemon & Herbs
1 4-ounce log of fresh goat cheese, carefully sliced into 6 equal-sized rounds
3 teaspoons of freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon capers, drained and minced
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon thyme (or regular)
2 small sprigs of rosemary
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup of good quality extra-virgin olive oil
Crackers or toasted baguette slices
On a small, shallow plate or dish, arrange the goat cheese pieces in one layer. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the cheese, then follow with the sun-dried tomatoes, capers and thyme. Sprinkle seat salt and ground pepper over the cheese, and place the rosemary sprigs on the sides. Slowly pour the olive oil over the cheese, just until it covers it—use more if you like, I lean toward less. Transfer the cheese to the refrigerator for 2-4 hours (if you have time), to let the cheese marinate. Even if you don’t have time for this step, it’s still delicious. Bring the dish to room temperature (about 30 minutes), then set out crackers or crostini and small knife to serve.