In the Kitchen with Sigona’s: Recipes for Goat Cheese

You can’t go wrong with these recipes, especially when you can get Laura Chenel’s Chevre (goat cheese) logs at our store for only 99¢ this week (Oct. 12-18, 2011). Recipes courtesy of Joe Loewinsohn, a Sigona’s crew member and owner of Right Brain Kitchens.  

Herbed & Grilled Chevre

Serve cut open on a bed of more grape leaves, with a crusty bread, or crispy crackers or croutons.

• 1 8oz log of chevre, cut into 4 or 5 slices (about an inch thick)
• 1 tsp each of finely chopped fresh: Shallots, Chervil, Tarragon & Flat Leaf Parsley (Fines Herbes)
• 2 Dozen or so jarred Grapevine Leaves, drained, stems removed, and patted dry
• Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Noccelara, Koreneiki or Picholine
• Green Onion, just the green part, 6″ to 8″ long, blanched in boiling water for 30 secs, and cooled in an ice bath
• Flake or Kosher salt
• Freshly ground Black Pepper

Directions: Roll goat cheese slices in the Fines Herbes mix to coat evenly, then place on a grapevine leaf, add a good splash of the EVOO, a sprinkle of salt, and a good grinding of pepper, top with another grapeleaf, gather up the sides, and place on yet another grapeleaf, and using a couple more leaves wrap the whole thing up as snug as you can, using the blanched green onion to tie it up around the sides.
Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up the chevre.

Brush liberally with EVOO, and grill on a white hot BBQ, for about 2 minutes per side, turning often,…you actually want the leaves to char somewhat, this adds a smoky flavor dimension to the cheese wrapped inside.

Panko-Crusted Fried Chevre

These are just ALL STARS on a traditional warm spinach-bacon salad, or you can serve them with bread or crackers as an appetizer.

• 1 8oz log of chevre, cut into 4 or 5 slices (about an inch thick)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour in a small bowl
• 1 beaten egg in another small bowl
• 1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs (plain or unflavored), or good quality bread crumbs, but the panko gives the crispiest end result, so it’s worth the trouble to find it

Directions: Add a half inch of a GOOD FRYING OIL (avocado, peanut, almond), in a cast iron skillet, pre-heated to 360f degrees.

Place the slices of chevre in the flour to coat evenly, then dip in the beaten egg, then roll in the crumbs, and set on a wire rack to firm the coating for 5 minutes, then AGAIN dip the breaded slices in the flour, egg, and crumbs, and again place on a wire rack to firm the coating for 5 minutes or so…if you are frying immediately move to the next steps, if you are frying later, place on paper toweling, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Fry the breaded chevre in HOT oil (350F), adding a couple of pieces at a time so you don’t lower the oil temp too much, fry for about a minute on each side till they are “GB&D” (golden brown and delicious) drain on paper toweling and serve still warm.