Marinated English Goat’s Cheese with Garlic, Stem Ginger & Herbs

Serves	4 to 6
Prep time	5 hours
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	5 hours, 20 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Starter
Misc	Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party, Formal Party
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

Soft, fresh goat’s cheese in a tangy marinade of garlic, ginger, orange and mixed peppercorns, this really is a terrific dinner party appetiser! I Like to make mine with a local goat’s cheese from the Shepherd’s Purse in Whitby, North Yorkshire. There are so many wonderful British dairies that produce Goats’ cheeses now – so do try to source your cheese locally. This recipe never fails to please, and I often make up a batch for a light lunch, served with fresh salad and crusty granary bread. You can make this with garlic cloves or wild garlic when it is in season, chives are also a nice addition.

Ingredients

250g fresh, soft English goats cheese, a log is best
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon syrup from stem ginger
1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns: pink, green, black and white
4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 small bunch of wild garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon preserved stem ginger in syrup, minced
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped – such as basil, parsley, thyme
Grated orange zest 1 orange

Note

You can make this with garlic cloves or wild garlic when it is in season, chives are also a nice addition.

Directions

Step 1	In a saucepan, combine the olive oil, ginger syrup and peppercorns, heat over a gentle heat until the peppercorns become aromatic, about 2 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2	Cut the goat’s cheese into ½” slices if using a log; otherwise, dice the goat’s cheese into ½” cubes. Arrange them on an attractive serving plate.
Step 3	In a small jug, combine the garlic, ginger, herbs and orange zest and then add the cooled oil and peppercorn mixture, gently stir and then pour the mixture over the goats cheese. Cover and allow to marinate for 3 to 5 hours in the fridge or a cool pantry.
Step 4	Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with fresh bread, crackers or oatcakes. Can also be used as a sandwich filling or served as a light meal with salad and watercress.