Best Goat's Cheese Recipes

It is widely believed that goat's cheese was one of the first dairy products, as the adaptable nature of goats made them the ideal animal to be domesticated by man. As early as 7000BC, goats were being kept in herds in the Eastern Mediterranean and used for milk, meat and skin. Essentially they were the ideal food supply for the nomadic people.

Goat's cheese can be made very simply by curdling goat's milk then pressing the curds, and for a soft cheese, the curds can be hung in muslin cloths for a few days to drain. A popular way of preserving the cheese is through salting or brining, which causes it to form a rind, whilst staying soft in the centre.

Goat's cheese has been shown to have more protein than traditional cow's milk cheeses and also has a low level of potassium. This makes it ideal for the young or old, those with an intolerance to cow's milk, and those with kidney diseases.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks, roughly sliced
2 rashers back bacon, chopped
1 x 210g sheet ready rolled puff pastry
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
2 slices goat's cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F/200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the leeks to soften for around 5 minutes. Add the bacon and cook for a further 5 mins, season, then set aside to cool.

3. Open the pastry and cut two 12 x 18cm rectangles. Lift them onto a baking sheet, then mark a border inside each one, about 1.5cm from the edge, using the tip of a knife.

4. Mix together the crème fraîche and mustard, then spread evenly over the inside of the pastry rectangles. Divide the leek and bacon mix between the two, then add the goat's cheese to the top and bake for 15-20 mins, or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the cheese has browned slightly. Serve warm with leafy salad..

If you don't have a Panini machine / toastie maker this one works as a melt cooked under the grill too.

Ingredients

1 Red Pepper, diced into small cubes
1 small handful of Rocket, washed
3 slices of Goat's Cheese, rind removed
1 Panini baguette

Method

1. Slice open the panini lengthways and stuff with the ingredients to your preference (works best with goat's cheese on top)

2. Carefully place in the toastie maker and grill until golden. Remove to cool slightly before enjoying.

These sandwiches are perfect for a spring picnic or light lunch as they have a subtle, fresh flavour that's not too heavy.

Ingredients

10oz pizza base, baked according to package instructions
2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
50g baby spinach leaves
175g mushrooms, thickly sliced
125g roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
50g paper-thin red onion slices
8 large fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
140g fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425F/220C/200C Fan/Gas Mark 7.

2. Place pizza base on a large baking sheet and brush evenly with the oil, leaving a little spare. Spread the other ingredients on top, then drizzle with the remaining oil.

3. Bake until the cheese browns slightly and the base is golden (around 15 minutes). Serve warm with fresh green salad and fries - delicious!

Ingredients

4 x 175g Salmon fillets
4 tbsp pesto
110g goat's cheese, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6

2. Oil four 25cm x 20cm squares of greaseproof paper and place a salmon fillet on each piece. Season well.

3. Spread 1/2tbsp of pesto over each salmon fillet and place a couple of slices of goat's cheese on top.

4. Fold the sides of the greaseproof paper up to form a parcel and place onto a baking tray.

5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until it flakes easily with slight pressure. Carefully remove the salmon from the paper and serve with a fresh green salad and new potatoes.

Ingredients

3 medium onions
1tbsp olive oil
2tbsp soft brown sugar
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
210g ready rolled puff pastry
80g goats cheese, crumbled
8 dried figs, sliced
150g honey, warmed slightly (Manuka is the best in my opinion)
150g whole grain mustard

Method

1. On a lightly floured board roll the pastry out to a ½ cm thickness and cut 4 disks about 16cm in diameter. Place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes, or until you're ready to assemble the tarts.

2. Peel and slice the onions thinly. Heat the olive oil over a low heat gently cook the onions until very soft (around 8 minutes).

3. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelised and resemble jam (20 to 30 minutes).

4. Set the onions aside to cool and preheat the oven to 375F/190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 5

5. Remove the pastry disks from the fridge and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Top with the cooled onion mix, sliced figs and goat's cheese, then fold the edges over the filling slightly, pinching together in the corners to hold the shape.

6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Mix together the honey and mustard to form a glaze and brush evenly over the top of each tart while still warm. Serve with rocket salad and enjoy!

These are recipes I love to use, and have adapted over time to suit my tastes. I did not, however, come up with all of them entirely by myself, so here's a list of the sources of my inspiration to say thank you -

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3445/welsh-goats-cheese-and-leek-tart
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bell-Pepper-Red-Onion-and-Goat-Cheese-Pizza-232538
http://www.ramus.co.uk/recipes_item.cfm?itemID=89
http://bronmarshall.com/?p=264