Thyme Out, Posted: 12/19/07
Goat Cheese
It's Holiday Party time. You're weary of the same old questionsóWhat to wear, what dish to bring? Before you break out the same tired cheese ball and trudge out in your pajamasóquick! read this! What you need is a burst of fresh flavor.
Here's an hors d'ouvre with just the right balance of ease and elegance, festivity and flavor. It's the little black dress of cocktail food. First of all, it's a terrine. We've already dressed up for the party, and that's just the name. Secondly, it looks impressive, but can be thrown together with ease. Finally, it relies on classic flavor pairings that just so happen to be holiday colorsóno forced combinations of spinach and maraschino cherries or what not. These vibrantly red sun-dried tomatoes and green basil pesto layers lie between snowy-white cheese, delicately ornamented with golden pine nuts. Perfect for the holiday season with a nice glass of earthy, French Syrah, for the red wine drinkers out there.
Just like the little black dress, though, you don't want to pack this recipe away with the tinsel and the Christmas stockings. It's also a perfect summer dish, garnished with fresh basil, using colors that mimic the Italian flag and reflect the dish's Mediterranean flair. Just swap its accessories to include a picnic basket and a crisp glass of white wine made from the Sauvignon blanc grape.
Goat Cheese Terrine with Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato
10 oz. goat cheese
º to ‡ c. heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
º c. pine nuts
Extra virgin olive oil
crackers, pita chips, or thick-cut potato chips, etc. for serving
Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over moderately low heat, tossing frequently to prevent them from burning. When they're golden, remove from heat, allow to cool and coarsely chop.
Line the inside of a steep-sided bowl or mold (2-cup capacity) with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches overhanging the sides. In a mixing bowl, mash the goat cheese and º cup of cream with a fork and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to taste. If the cheese mixture seems too crumbly, add the additional cream a little at a time.
Spoon 1/3 of the cheese into the lined bowl and pack it into an even layer. Spread the pesto on top almost completely to the sides. Top with another third of the cheese, smoothing the layer. Then put the sun-dried tomatoes and most of the toasted pine nuts, saving a small spoonful for garnish. Top with the remaining cheese, packing it down and folding the plastic wrap over to cover. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Half an hour before serving, take the bowl out of the refrigerator and pull on the edges of the plastic to loosen the terrine from the bowl. Invert the terrine onto a plate, drizzle with a little olive oil and let sit for half an hour to warm up. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts, season liberally with pepper and serve with your choice of crackers or chips.
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Editor's Note: Angela Denstad Stigeler writes a food column each week for the Caledonia Argus. She, her husband and their two young children live in Caledonia.
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