provençal goat’s cheese

If you haven’t the time to go to a cheese shop, or your local shop doesn’t have a strong selection, soft goat’s cheese logs, available in almost every supermarket, can be very easily improved and made into something that looks and tastes very special for a cheese course. All you need are a few of the herbs and aromatics from the kitchen cupboard or garden. In Provence, it is common to add a sprinkling of salt, pepper or savory (la sariette) to even the most upmarket, unpasteurised fresh goat’s cheese before serving.

Serves 6

2 x 150g soft rindless goat’s

cheese logs

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme or oregano

½ teaspoon chopped fresh or dried savory or rosemary

pinch of lavender or other edible flowers (from the garden)

2 pinches of salt flakes

1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Remove the goat’s cheese logs from their packets and place on a chopping board. Wait 2 minutes, then slice each log into 2cm rounds. If any rounds crumble apart, gently press back together into the desired shape.

Place the cheese on a serving plate and sprinkle over the toppings of your choosing, aiming for two of each and two left plain with just a light sprinkling of salt flakes. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Allow the cheese to come to room temperature for an hour before serving with bread and red wine.

This recipe is from Provence by Caroline Rimbert Craig

If you liked this recipe, why not try this recipe for Brie in Brioche from Crumb by Richard Bertinet?