Tag: goat cheese

Baked Figs with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto


What are you going to do if one day you receive the most beautiful figs you’ve ever seen? You admire them for about half an hour, you take some photos, you dress them up (meaning you stuff them with goat cheese and you wrap them in prosciutto) and you indulge.

I’ve always loved sweet and salty dishes, and this recipe is the quintessence of this combination. The sweetness of the figs goes wonderfully with the saltiness of the prosciutto and the tartness of the goat cheeses quiets down the richness of the fruit. The result is a mouthwatering sweet and salty appetizer, simple yet elegant, rich yet fresh.

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

  • 4 large figs
  • 40g goat cheese
  • 2 slices of prosciutto
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar reduction


Method:

  1. Preheat the oven at 180°C / 350°F (gas mark 4).
  2. Wash the figs and pat them dry. Cut off their stem and cut an X in the top of each fig, 1/3 way through.
  3. Crumble the goat cheese and stuff each cavity with about 1 tsp of cheese.
  4. Halve the prosciutto lengthwise and wrap each fig with half a slice of prosciutto.
  5. Secure the prosciutto with a toothpick.
  6. Place the stuffed figs in a parchment paper-lined tray and bake them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  7. Leave them to cool down for 10 minutes before serving. Remove the skewer. Drizzle them with about 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar reduction just before serving.

Goat Cream Cheese, Pea and Quail Egg Triangles



These goat cheese, pea and quail egg triangles are simply extraordinary. They are delicious, flavorful and the fresh green peas add a lovely spring quality to the dish. What I like the most about the appetizers is they are a crowd-pleaser. These adorable guys are also a wonderful alternative to conventional appetizers, letting aside the fact that they’re ready in less than 30 minutes. To ease up my work, I use store-bought puff pastry and I bake it between two trays. This method keeps the dough from rising excessively in the oven, which leads to a relatively thin, golden and flaky crust. Those crispy rectangles are then iced with a tangy and flavorful goat cheese cream, topped with peas and quail eggs arranged chaotically. Continue reading Goat Cream Cheese, Pea and Quail Egg Triangles

Spring Canapés (Focaccia with Goat Cheese, Strawberries, Prosciutto and Balsamic Reduction)

This lovely canapés are more than suitable for spring. The base is a delicious homemade nigella seed focaccia which is topped with tangy goat cheese, juicy strawberry slices, smoky Prosciutto roses, fresh mint ribbons and a balsamic vinegar reduction. I simply love balsamic vinegar reduction, it’s such a versatile condiment; its acid and slightly sweet taste and its unmistakable aroma go wonderfully with different types of cheese, vegetables and fruits and it tastes divine paired with vanilla-flavored desserts, too. Since it’s springtime and my garden abounds with flowers, I decided I should garnish my canapés with edible flowers, just for aesthetic reasons.

For my canapés I used homemade focaccia (I used this recipe). The only changes I’ve made are the following: I prepared the dough, I placed it in a bowl, I covered it with cling film and I refrigerated it overnight. The next morning I kneaded the dough and I rolled the bread, I garnished it with nigella seeds and I drizzled it with olive oil. After 1 hour of rising, I baked it for about 20 minutes.

I usually make my own balsamic vinegar reduction. I add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a saucepan and I boil it until the liquid becomes syrupy and reduces by 1/3 cup. I pour the reduction in a jar and I leave it to reach room temperature before refrigerating it. Since it thickens considerably as it cools down, I reheat it in warm water before using. Continue reading Spring Canapés (Focaccia with Goat Cheese, Strawberries, Prosciutto and Balsamic Reduction)

Mushroom quiche with goat cheese, walnut and lamb’s lettuce salad

quiche and saladcreamy mixture
Quiche is a savory French tart. It is a perfect mixture between a crispy crust and a flavourful filling. The pie crust (pâte brisée) is filled with veggies, meat products, as well as with a creamy egg mixture. I decided to bake a mushroom and tomato quiche (lacto-ovo-vegetarian version), served with a goat cheese, walnut and lamb’s lettuce salad.
Continue reading Mushroom quiche with goat cheese, walnut and lamb’s lettuce salad