Earthy Edibles: Goaty goodness

Ah, cheese… that velvety, rich substance that adds an extra layer of padding to my body and prevents me from ever becoming a vegan. So many different incarnations of cheese are out there to titillate the taste buds. Aged, smoked, sheep’s milk, ash rind… I have to admit, I’ve been a bit of a cheese-wuss for much of my life, sticking to mild cheddar and mozzarella and never branching out.

That is, until I tried goat cheese for the first time. It was love at first bite. From there I delved into the world of Brie and Camembert, even trying some mild blue cheeses. It was soft, tangy goat cheese, however, that first opened up my eyes, and so it remains that I can’t get enough of it.

My old roommate, who would make the mother of all cheese plates, inspired this recipe. This woman was serious about cheese. She knew how to pick the richest, most flavourful specimens and would arrange them so beautifully with roasted nuts and dried fruit on her very own oiled cheese board. (Don’t be discouraged if you’ve never heard of a cheese board; you’re not the only one.)

To save you a few bucks and still make you a hit at a potluck, this goat cheese spread is an awesome addition to any cheese plate.

 

Lemon, chive, and black pepper goat cheese spread

Prep time five minutes

Note: Feel free to double this recipe and play with your favourite flavour combinations. I can see this spread being great with finely chopped figs and maple syrup, or roasted garlic and rosemary, instead of the chives, lemon, and pepper.

 

Ingredients

½ cup (125 grams) soft, un-ripened goat cheese

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Zest of 1 lemon

Splash of olive oil

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 pinches sea salt

 

Directions

To zest the lemon, rub it along the smallest blades of a cheese grater. Be careful to only grate the outer, yellow peel as the white pith underneath is quite bitter.

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until evenly combined.