Make this easy marinated goat's cheese recipe for someone special this Christmas
Ingredients
- 1 small unwaxed lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small red bird’s eye chilli, split
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 large fresh thyme sprig
- 3 x 100g small Somerset goat’s cheese, quartered
- 400ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 100g mixed green and black kalamata olives
- 1/2 tsp mixed peppercorns
Method
- 1. Using a swivel-blade peeler, cut 2 large strips of zest from the lemon and remove as much white pith as possible. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the lemon zest, garlic, split chilli, bay leaf and thyme sprig. Blanch for 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold water. Drain on kitchen paper and pat dry as much as possible.
- 2. Place the blanched ingredients in a bowl with the goat’s cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, mixed olives and peppercorns and stir well to combine. Spoon into an 850ml sterilised jar, pushing the zest and herbs beneath the surface of the oil. Seal and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 week.
Chef's tip
If you don’t want to go to the trouble of flavouring your own oil, buy a flavoured oil such as chilli, basil or lemon – these can be quite strong, so use half flavoured oil and half extra-virgin olive oil to dilute.
Make ahead: For the best results, make 1 week before giving. The label should read: keep for up to 1 month in the fridge and, once opened, eat within 2 weeks.