Marinated Goat Cheese

This recipe is infinitely tweakable depending on what you have around, and your mood. Do you have thyme, but not oregano? Just use thyme. Want to toss in some chopped capers or a little diced red pepper? That’s great, too. Don’t have any fresh herbs? Use dried ones. As long as you have some herbs, olive oil, salt and black or red pepper, you’re good to go. We reached kept logs of goat cheese on hand and reached for them again and again during The Great Confinement of 2020, when we were in constant pursuit of Zoom Happy Hour nibbles. You can also use a smaller (4-ounce) log and use about 2/3 of the marinade.

If you want to simplify, you can even skip the heating, and use everything raw.

READ: The 15 best things we didn’t cook in August

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/4 cup best-quality olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil or any combination), or 1 tablespoon dried herbs (such as thyme or herbes de Provence)

Finely grated zest of half a lemon (optional)

2 cloves finely chopped garlic (optional)

1 teaspoon chopped capers (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped roasted red bell pepper (optional)

8-ounce log of fresh goat cheese

Fleur de sel or Maldon salt

Cracked black pepper, Aleppo pepper or Espellette pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the olive oil in a small pan with the thyme and oregano, and heat it gently over low heat until it just starts to bubble gently. Remove from heat, add the lemon zest and let the herbs and lemon infuse the oil for 15 or 20 minutes.

Place the goat cheese on a dish. Use a spoon to make a depression in the top of the log that will catch the oil. Pour the oil and over the cheese, and sprinkle salt and cracked pepper to taste. Marinate for at least an hour, spooning the oil over the cheese to coat it now and then. Serve with toasted baguette rounds.