Goat's Cheese Crostini with Hazelnut Salsa

Goat's and cow's milk have similar nutritional compositions, but because of the higher water content of goat's cheese, it contains less fat than cow's milk cheeses.

This is an easy starter that will have your guests easily impressed!

Goat's Cheese Crostini with Hazelnut Salsa

Ingredients:

Crostini:

6 thick slices of French-stick bread
2 x 100g goat's cheeses, each cut into 3 slices
60g mixed salad leaves
orange zest, to garnish (optional)

Salsa:

30g hazelnuts, dry roasted until browned
4 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:

1. First, make the salsa. Put the nuts in a blender or food processor, add the remaining ingredients, and blend for about 15 seconds. Transfer the salsa to a small saucepan and heat it through gently.

2. Meanwhile, toast each bread slice on one side. Place a slice of goat's cheese on the untoasted side of each piece of bread. Put all 6 slices under a preheated hot grill and grill for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

3. Divide the salad leaves among 6 plates and top with a cheese toast, garnised, if desired, with strips of orange zest. Serve with the warm salsa, either spooned over the crostini or served separately.

Source: Anderson, J (Ed.) (2001). Diabetes Cookbook, Dorling Kindersley: Sydney

Serves: 6

Rating: 4.5

Pesto, Goat's Cheese and Stuffed Field Mushrooms

My mum told me about this recipe and I thought I'd give it a go. It's very sweet, and full of goodness. You can use any pesto you like. I love a good basil pesto, but certainly a beetroot pesto, or even a sun dried tomato pesto would also be great. Definitely one I'm going back to cook again.

Pesto, Goat's Cheese and Stuffed Field Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Pesto (enough for a "dollop" in each mushrom)
4 large field mushrooms
1 medium sized zucchini
a couple of florets of broccolli, chopped
1-2 shallots
handful of baby spinach leaves
handful of fresh parsley
handful of pinenuts
tin of corn kernels
a good goat's cheese (also called chevre)
salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Cut the stalks off the mushrooms and set aside. Place mushrooms "cup side up" on the tray.

3. Chop the stalks, zucchini, broccolli, shallots, parsley and spinach leaves and place in a bowl. Mix well, then use this mixture to stuff the mushrooms.

4. Place stuffed mushrooms in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, lightly toast the pinenuts in a little oil (be careful not to burn them) and set aside.

6. Heat the corn kernels through.

7. When mushrooms are cooked through, remove from oven and top with corn and pinenuts. Crumble the goat's cheese on top and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2

Rating: 5

Leek, Pumpkin & Goat's Cheese Strudel

When you feel like something special, this dish is the way to go.

Leek, Pumpkin & Goat's Cheese Strudel

Ingredients:

1.2kg butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into 2.5cm pieces
Olive oil spray
1 tbs olive oil
3 leeks, trimmed, washed, thinly sliced
6 sheets filo pastry
50g butter, melted
1 x 120g pkt goat's cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Rocket leaves, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Scatter the pumpkin over the tray and spray with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until soft.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until soft and slightly golden. Remove from heat.

3. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel and then a damp tea towel (this will help prevent it drying out). Place 1 sheet of filo on the work surface and brush with a little butter. Top with another sheet of filo and brush with butter. Continue to layer with the remaining filo and butter. Cut the filo stack in half lengthways.

4. Spread the leek mixture over 1 filo stack, leaving a 2cm border along the sides and a 4cm border at each end. Place the pumpkin on top of the leek and scatter with the goat's cheese. Brush the filo edges with butter and place the remaining filo stack on top. Press firmly to cover and enclose the filling. Fold in the edges to secure.

5. Transfer the strudel to the lined tray. Use a sharp knife to score the pastry across the top at regular intervals. Brush the top with any remaining butter and sprinkle with cumin seeds. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve immediately with rocket.

Source: Australian Good Taste - October 2006 , Page 26

Rating: 4.5

Baby Capsicums Filled with Pistachio Pesto & Goat's Cheese

This is another recipe I've borrowed (see source at the bottom of this post) that looks so good it has to be tried!

Baby Capsicums Filled with Pistachio Pesto & Goat's Cheese

Ingredients:

8 baby red capsicums
200g marinated goat's cheese, drained
Pistachio pesto
1/2 cup baby rocket leaves
1/3 cup (55g) pistachio kernels
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup (20g) finely grated parmesan
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil

Method:

1. For the pistachio pesto: place rocket, pistachios, basil, parmesan and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, add oil in a thin, steady stream until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place capsicums on an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven, cover with foil and set aside for 30 minutes to cool. Peel capsicums, then use a small sharp knife to cut around the stems and remove. Use a teaspoon to remove and discard seeds.

3. Spoon goat's cheese and pesto evenly among capsicums. Arrange on a platter to serve.

Cheater's tip: To save time, use a bought pesto, such as Barilla's Pesto alla Genovese. To experiment with flavours, substitute pistachio pesto for a sun-dried tomato pesto or olive tapenade.

Source: Notebook: - February 2007 , Page 119

Serves: 8

Rating: will let you know

Merlot and Goat's Cheese Risotto

YUMMMMMMMMMMMM

This recipe came from an online friend, and I've adapted it. She cooks a bit like I do - a bit of this, a bit of that...but I've had to come up with absolute figures to get this recipe down.

Merlot and Goat's Cheese Risotto:

Ingredients:

a dash of olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
400ml "chicken" stock, made with hot water (we use Massel "chicken style" stock)
400ml good, fruity merlot
dash of balsamic vinegar
3 saffron threads, or 1/4 tsp tumeric
2-3 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 fresh shallots, roughly chopped
a good chunk of fresh goat's cheese (sometimes called "chevre")
1/4-1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup cashews, slivered almonds, or a mixture of both
"knob" of butter

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add rice, shallots, garlic, and stir until aroma is present and the rice is coated. Add saffron/tumeric.

2. Meanwhile, mix the "chicken" stock, merlot and balsamic vinegar together. Add to the rice a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the first amount completely before adding the second, and so on. Stir constantly as you add the liquid. NOTE: this will probably take 30 mins.

3. As the risotto nears completion, add the cranberries to the rice and heat through.

4. Just before you serve, add the knob of butter and the nuts, and mix through.

5. Serve risotto into required number of bowls, and sprinkle the chevre/goat's cheese on top in generous quantities.


NOTES:

* You may like to use fresh cherries in place of the cranberries, if in season.
* DO NOT give in to the temptation to add "just that little bit more wine"...it can easily overpower the dish.

Serves: 2-3

Rating: 5!