Marinated Goat Cheese With Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 8 ounce cylinder goat cheese (chèvre) with a
• slightly creamy texture
• 1 cup Spanish or other olive oil plus
• more for brushing
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 12 plum tomatoes quartered
• 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• Fresh baguette slices or crostini for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Carefully unwrap the cheese so it retains its cylindrical shape. Cut the cheese into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.

In a shallow bowl or lidded container, pour in 1/4 cup of the olive oil to evenly coat the bottom. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the cheese slices in the oil about 1/2 inch apart. Season the cheese with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and place the thyme sprigs on top. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap or cover with the lid. Set in a cool, dry place or refrigerate at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Arrange the tomatoes on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Brush the tomatoes lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are lightly golden and most of their juices have evaporated, about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature.

In a small fry pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. When hot, add the garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a mixing bowl, toss the tomatoes with the fried garlic and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tomatoes and marinated cheese to a shallow serving bowl or platter or divide among several small cazuelas. Serve with a basket of baguette slices or crostini alongside.

This recipe yields 6 servings.