August 24, 2011

Rosemary Fig Goat Cheese Spread {Naptime Entertaining}

Goat Cheese

The Occasion: Cookout with friends on summer weekend.

Menu: Salmorejo, Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken, Marinated Green Beans, Rosemary Fig Goat Cheese with Crackers & Breads, Plum Torte

Attendees: Party of 4 adults, 3 kids!

Naptime Goals: Marinate chicken, marinate green beans, prepare chilled soup, prepare goat cheese terrine.

Whenever I am in Cooperstown I always make a point of picking up a tub of Painted Goat goat cheese at the Saturday farmer’s market. The locally made cheese is perfectly tangy and smooth and they make all kinds of interesting spreads with their product. This summer I became addicted to the Rosemary Fig Goat Cheese terrine and was beside myself when I ran out of the tub I brought back to Connecticut. I had a dinner to throw and knew it would be the perfect thing to serve as an appetizer before our chilled soup! Since I didn’t have time to do a quick round-trip upstate I decided to do the next best thing, recreate the spread myself.

Of course I would have loved to have used the classic Painted Goat cheese product, but I used a local Connecticut goat cheese that was just as good. During naptime I added some fresh finely chopped rosemary from my herb pots to a small dish of fig jam and let it infuse for about an hour. Then, I poured it into the bottom of a ramekin and pressed the room temperature goat cheese over it. At that point I covered it with plastic wrap, popped it in the fridge and waited for the party.

To serve the spread right before everyone arrived I dislodged the cheese by turning the ramekin upside down and running a knife around the edges. The rosemary-infused fig spread stayed on top and drizzled down around the sides. I set a soft cheese knife alongside it on a cheese cutting board and scattered a healthy assortment of crispy crackers and baguette slices around it. While it wasn’t quite Painted Goat, it tasted astoundingly close to the delicious spread I know and love from upstate. The floral fig spread contrasted perfectly with the tangy of the salty cheese and it got rave reviews all around.

Recipe

 Rosemary Fig Goat Cheese Spread

Ingredients

8 ounces plain goat cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons finely chopped goat cheese (room temperature)
1/3 cup fresh fig jam

Instructions

1. Stir the rosemary into the fig jam and let it infuse for an hour.

2. Pour the jam into the bottom of a ramekin or small shallow baking dish. Press the room temperature goat cheese gently into ramekin. Do not squish it so far that the jam comes up around the sides. Try to press it in evenly and make sure the bottom is spread smoothly.

3. Cover the ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

4. To serve, invert the ramekin over a serving platter and run a thin knife around the edge of the container to loosen the cheese. Serve with crackers and baguette slices!

Naptime Notes

Naptime Recipe Serving ideas

This is a great casual spread for any party or even just to pair with soup and a salad for dinner!

 

Naptime Stopwatch

10 minutes to prepare!

 

Naptime Reviews

This was well-received by all of our guests!

 

8 Responses to “Rosemary Fig Goat Cheese Spread {Naptime Entertaining}”

  1. Georgia Pellegrini says:

    I am obsessed with figs this time of year. I hoard as many as I can and eat them endlessly before they go away and I have to wait another year : )

  2. Great combo of flavors. I love goat cheese and figs with fresh herbs.

  3. Oh my gosh. This is a menu from heaven! Goat cheese is to die for.

  4. Jeanette says:

    Love the combination of sweet figs and savory rosemary in this spread! So fun when you can recreate your favorite foods at home.

  5. Jeanette says:

    Love the combination of sweet figs and savory rosemary in this spread! So fun when you can recreate your favorite foods at home.

  6. Sylvie says:

    A lovely combination, goat cheese and figs are perfect together.