Toasted Sourdough with Soft Goats Cheese, Fig, Hazelnut and Honey

1 Comment

Eating for one need not be boring or unexciting. Working from home does allow me to make something delicious at lunch time, instead of the rather insipid sandwiches that certain chains offer. For those who follow my instastories will know I regularly make speedy veggie miso broths, interesting healthy colourful salads and sometimes a Scandinavian open sandwich: known in Danish: smørrebrød, Norwegian: smørbrød, Swedish: smörgås or macka. You can get creative as you like but they always look and taste good. I adore sourdough and invariably always have some in the house, so making an interesting open sandwich is a win win.

A fridge staple for me is soft goats cheese. Even if you think you may dislike goats cheese try the soft variety as it is less strong, deliciously creamy and has a wonderful taste. We all love it in my family. I cut a couple of slices of sourdough and pop them under the grill for a couple of minutes until they are toasted to my liking. I then slather soft goats cheese on top, quarter some fresh figs, scatter some nuts – hazelnuts or walnuts work really well, and then drizzle some sweet honey. So simple and yet super satisfying. If I have any fresh mint in the fridge/garden (which I didn’t today) I would roughly chop some leaves and throw them on it too. You get salty flavours from the goats cheese working so well with the luscious, soft figs and the fragrant honey.

It’s also a great weekend lunch idea for the family or if you have some friends coming over. To make it more substantial you could make a soup – something like my pea and mint would work really well.

 

Toasted Sourdough with Soft Goats Cheese, Fig, Hazelnut and Honey

for one (increase proportions if you are feeding others)

2 pieces of sourdough bread, toasted

1-2 large figs quartered

1 tbsp soft goats cheese

1 tbsp hazelnuts/walnuts, roughly chopped

drizzle of honey on top

 

  1. Toast the sourdough on both sides under the grill, in a toaster or in a griddle pan.
  2. Slather goats cheese on top.
  3. Add the quartered figs and scatter the nuts.
  4. Top with fragrant honey.
  5. Devour.

 

So simple and yet deliciously effective.

Rainier Cherries, Soft Goats Cheese, Prosciutto and Mint Oil Crostini

4 Comments

I have very fond memories feasting on cherries as a child. My grandmother had a cherry tree in her garden, which as well as bursting with cherry blossom and beauty, also supplied us with a bounty of cherries each year, if we could get to them before the birds did of course!

A few years ago I started to see in the shops a variety of cherry that I was unfamiliar with. I discovered more recently that they are called  ‘Rainier’ cherries and that they are originally from the US Northwest Pacific region. Imported to the UK by ‘Northwest Cherries’, they have a creamy yellow flesh and a pink blush, contrary to its usual ruby red counterparts, and are deliciously sweet with a thin skin. They are named after Washington States’s largest mountain, Mt. Rainier, as they are larger in size to other cherries. It is reported that they were created in 1952 when Harold Fogel and other researchers from the Washington Agriculture Experiment Station in Prosser, crossed two well-known varieties of cherries the, ‘Bing’ and ‘Van’, resulting in the sweet tasting Rainier cherry.

Now the good news folks is that JULY and AUGUST signifies the beautiful Rainier cherry season in the UK and are widely available at selected retailers. Cherries have numerous health benefits and are a good option for a healthy treat. They are packed to the rafters with antioxidants, vitamin C and fibre, as well as containing phytosterols, which is thought to help lower cholesterol. If you are planning to jet around the globe this summer bear in mind that cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin, which can apparently improve sleep and help prevent jetlag. If that wasn’t enough to make you run and buy a punnet, the anthocyanins in them are important for good brain function. They help the brain produce the mood-enhancing hormone ‘serotonin’. It’s amazing how a fruit so small, in the grand scheme of things, can contain so many good health benefits.

Whilst I can easily see off a whole punnet on my own, I also thought that it might be fun to show you a recipe that really allows Rainier cherries to be centre stage. Over the summer months I love to entertain outdoors – I mean who doesn’t? –  and offering guests a cool aperitif with a delicious canapés always goes down well. I thought crostini with Rainier cherries sitting on whipped soft goats cheese,  a little prosciutto perhaps, drizzled with a mint oil would receive a positive reception. You can make the dish vegetarian by removing the prosciutto completely. As an alternative to the goats cheese you can also use ricotta and parmesan, which works really well too. So lots of options to consider.  The sweetness from the Rainier cherries balances so harmoniously with the saltiness from the cheese and prosciutto. In the mint oil I have added a little lemon juice, zest and  wildflower honey to balance it all out and offer a lightness to the canapé.

You could also serve this as a starter or a lunch option. Instead of using baguette to create your crostini, you could use some sourdough, which is larger and have a slice or two of this with all of the ingredients below on each plate.

However you like to serve it up I can assure you that your family and guests will absolutely adore this summer Rainier cherry recipe.

 

 

Rainier Cherries, Soft Goats Cheese, Prosciutto and Mint Oil Crostini

1 x stonebaked baguette, thinly sliced on the angle

300g soft goats cheese, whipped in a bowl

70g prosciutto, cut into small strips

1 x 400g punett of Rainier cherries, halved and stone removed

1 garlic clove, peeled

******

dressing

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 large mint leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp honey

 

  1. Preheat a grill at 190 degrees (fan).
  2. Thinly slice, on an angle, the baguette and space out on a baking tray.
  3. Place under the grill for 2-3 minutes – keep a close eye as it will burn quickly. When it is lightly bronzed take it out of the oven and turn it over and grill the other side for another minute.
  4. Remove from the oven completely and rub the raw garlic gently on the side of the baguette that you are going to put the whipped soft goats cheese on.
  5. To whip the goats cheese, simply place in a bowl and mix with a spoon so that if become smooth.
  6. Place a teaspoon of goats cheese onto the toasted baguette and evenly spread.
  7. Next place a thin strip of prosciutto on top of the cheese and twist it so that it adds texture and height and then half a Rainier cherry at the back and a little of the dressing on top.
  8. Work through the whole toasted baguette or as much as you think you and your guests will eat.

You can make them ahead of time – although I suggest adding the dressing at the last minute – and eat at room temperature.

Easy, visually striking and importantly packed full of delicious flavours.

AD: This blog post was a paid collaboration with @lovefreshcherries. All views, opinions and the recipe are mine.