Chèvre: what to do with it?

[heathpack]

Years ago, I worked as a farm hand and a major component of that job was milking and caring for the dairy goats. Even though I found the goats to be very rascally and amusing, their environs did not always smell so good to me. Ever since then, I usually don't like goat cheese, the taste reminds me faintly of the stalls I had to muck out.

So I'm not sure what compelled me to taste the cheese of the new goat dairy woman who was at the farmers market last week. But I did and I was pleasantly surprised to find the cheese tasty with no flavor of soiled hay(!).

Now 6 days have gone by and I've not eaten any- I realize I don't know what to do with goat cheese. I will do the obvious thing and search various recipe databases, but will also ask TUG loungers: what do YOU do with goat cheese? Especially simple preps that are not really recipes.

H

 

[Passepartout]

We have a huge dairy industry hereabouts. Including goat dairies. At our house we use chevre in salads and as a sour cream substitute. Here are some uses I found online: http://whatscookingamerica.net/goatcheesetips.htm I particularly like the look of this as gourmet hors d'oevres (sp?) http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/MangoGoatCheese.htm

Jim

 

[amycurl]

We have a great goat cheese dairy here: www.goatladydairy.com and they sell their chevre all over town, at both farmer's markets as well as to a bunch of restaurants.

They make multiple types of cheese, and their chevre in multiple different flavors. I use the sweeter flavors of chevre (fig and honey, plain, orange) in place of cream cheese on bagels and toast. I use the savory flavors (triple heat, roasted red pepper, sunny paris, dill and garlic, etc.) to stuff chicken tenders that I then wrap in prosciutto (this is a very easy recipe that I'm happy to send you if you PM me.) My current favorite is based on a local restaurant's recipe: pork chops sauteed in barbeque sauce, with plain goat chevre crumbled on top right before serving. It is also good crumbled on top of pizza, instead of mozzarella; I usually make mine with sausage and sauteed onions.

A good chili topping can be made with their goat yogurt and goat cheese feta blended together and used instead of sour cream.

Obviously, I could go on and on! They even make some amazing chocolate truffles, using the plain chevre in place of butter, and you have never tasted anything so amazing. Even my non-goat-cheese-loving mother likes their stuff.

 

[BevL]

I have a recipe that calls for a mixture of chevre and cream cheese, spread it on tortillas, some avacado slices, some smoked salmon, grill them lightly on both sides and voila, salmon quesadillas. Yumm, think I have to make some of those tonight.

 

[Chrisky]

DH and I use goat cheese often.
Break it up into small bits, add to your salad.
We now have a variety of tomatoes in our stores, of varying colours. Take all the varieties of tomatoes you can find (red, yellow, dark almost black) put in bowl, make a dressing with a 3 to 1 olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, adding some minced garlic. Combine with the tomatoes, add large croutons, or homemade ones, sprinkle with as much cheese as you want, and voila an excellent salad to serve with a pasta.
Also, sprinkle goat cheese on pizza.

 

[Carol C]

Put some on bruschetta toasted with olive oil, add some fresh chopped basil and roasted or sundried tomatoes, or have it with roasted red peppers. Hmmm, now I'm hungry!

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Here are two of my favorite recipes -

This one is a great accompaniment to something simple and Italian or Greek (e.g. chicken piccata). If I am out of broccoli, I will substitute green beans.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce reduced-fat goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and garlic; cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir in roasted bell peppers, olives, parsley, green onion, marjoram, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Heat through. Transfer mixture to 4 serving plates or a platter; sprinkle with goat cheese.

Fruity salad:
Torn greens, primarily romaine with an occasional bitter green such as endive;
pomegrante seeds (separate in cool water, the pithy part floats, seeds sink, much easier than trying to pick them off one or two at a time)
blueberries or strawberries
goat cheese,
raspberry vinaigrette

Toss

And I love goat cheese as a snack with something sweet like figs and then walnuts.

Bon Appetit!

elaine

 

[Ginny]

I'm a fan of goat cheese in salads, too. I made one last night that had herb and greens mix, toasted pecans, blood orange and honey tangerine slices, goat cheese crumbles, and thinly sliced red onions. Dressing was made from olive oil, fig balsamic vinegar, a little chipotle raspberry sauce thinned with water (I kind of went creative and pulled things from the refrigerator that sounded good), sprinkling of salt and a tiny bit of dry mustard powder.

 

[heathpack]

I'm a fan of goat cheese in salads, too. I made one last night that had herb and greens mix, toasted pecans, blood orange and honey tangerine slices, goat cheese crumbles, and thinly sliced red onions. Dressing was made from olive oil, fig balsamic vinegar, a little chipotle raspberry sauce thinned with water (I kind of went creative and pulled things from the refrigerator that sounded good), sprinkling of salt and a tiny bit of dry mustard powder.

MmmmmmmmmMmmmmm

 

[heathpack]

Yesterday for lunch made a panini with cinnamon-raisin bread, ham, chèvre, and fig jam. Side salad with romaine lettuce, strawberries, and crumbled goat cheese, dressed with olive oil, pomegranate vinegar, salt & pepper. It was all good.

Tonight I am making Amycurl's Proscuitto-Wrapped Goat-Cheese-Stuffed chicken breasts. Inspired somewhat by Elaine's vegetable dish, I am an idea in my head for a side dish of penne, baby spinach, sun dried tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, goat cheese, garlic & olive oil. Or something like that. Then I will be out of goat cheese, until next Sunday anyway.

H