Marinated Cheese Rounds With Whole Spices Recipes

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place the peppercorns, garlic cloves and bay leaves in a clean, sterilized wide-mouthed jar. Pour in a film of olive oil.
• Cut the goat cheese into rounds 1/2 inch thick (I get neat rounds using unflavored dental floss to cut through the cheese). Place one round in the jar and drizzle on some olive oil. Stack the remaining rounds, drizzling oil onto each round before topping with the next. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs to the jar and pour in olive oil to cover the goat cheese rounds completely. Cover the jar and leave at room temperature for several hours, then refrigerate.

MARINATED CHEESE

Steps:

• In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, wine vinegar, pimento, parsley, green onion, garlic, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously to blend. Set aside.
• Cut the block of Cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices to form squares. Repeat with cream cheese. Arrange cheese squares alternately in a shallow baking dish with slices standing on edge. You can arrange in a single long row, or 2 parallel rows depending on the size of your dish. Pour the marinade from the jar over the cheese slices, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
• To serve, remove slices to a serving platter so they are still arranged in an alternating pattern. Spoon some of the extra marinade over the cheese, and serve with crackers.

MARINATED CHEESE WITH HERBS AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Cut into 1/2-inch rounds, slices, or wedges: 6 ounces goat or feta cheese.
• Place in a nonreactive container and add: 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 to 4 thyme sprigs, 2 to 3 bay leaves.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 1 week.
• Variations
• Use different herbs such as rosemary, marjoram, oregano, savory, or hyssop.
• Add a couple of dried hot peppers for a bit of heat.
• Add some whole spices such as black peppercorns, fennel, anise, cumin, or coriander.
• Add 1/4 cup rinsed and drained niçoise olives with the herbs.
• Gently cook 2 or 3 peeled, halved garlic cloves in half of the olive oil until tender but not brown. Let the oil cool and pour over the cheese with the cooked garlic and the remaining oil.
• Remove the cheese from the oil, pat dry breadcrumbs all over the surface, and toast in a hot oven until brown and crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with a garlicky salad.

MARINATED CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice each block of cheddar cheese into twenty 1/4-in. slices. Cut each block of cream cheese into 18 slices. Create four 6-in.-long blocks of stacked cheeses, sandwiching 9 cream cheese slices between 10 cheddar slices for each stack. Place in a 13x9-in. dish., In a small bowl, combine the roasted peppers, oil, vinegars, onions, herbs, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over cheese stacks. , Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning cheese blocks once. Drain excess marinade. Serve cheese with crackers or toasted bread.

MARINATED CHEESE ROUNDS WITH WHOLE SPICES

Steps:

• Divide the cheeses between the jars. (It's not necessary for them to rest on the bottom.)
• Divide the coriander, peppercorns, herbs and lemon peel on top of the cheeses. Gently pour in olive oil to fill the jars.
• Close the jars tightly and refrigerate for about a week before serving.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to two months. Serve the cheeses with toasts, crackers or salad. When the cheeses are gone, use the remaining oil in vinaigrettes.