Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese

A lovely, easy-yet-impressive summer appetizer. We recently made this with homemade goat cheese and took it to a potluck picnic—our friends raved about it! It is simple, delicious, and beautiful. To make it “to go,” we simply used a small Pyrex pan as the platter, and used its lid for transporting. We found that the texture of the leftovers got a little strange, so we recommend eating this all in one go… though you shouldn’t have to much trouble with that!

Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese (print recipe here)

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers in a mix of colors
• 1 tomato
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 8 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• Bread, for serving

Directions

Rub the peppers and tomato with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then roast them whole at 450˚ (we did this in the oven, but they would also taste great on the grill), turning often, for about 20 minutes, until they are charred and soft. Put them in a bowl and cover. While they are steaming, mix the remaining oil with the vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Crumble the goat cheese on the serving plate. Then peel, de-stem, and chop the peppers and tomato. Stir them into the dressing to coat them. When cool, spoon the mixture over the cheese and top with the fresh oregano. Serve with bread.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Jenifer!

Simplified Bruschetta

This, um, “recipe” is so simple that it’s almost embarrassing to call it one. Yet bruschetta is also the kind of dish that seems kind of fancy, like you could only get it pre-made or in a restaurant (and even then, how do you pronounce it? Hard C, and come off as pretentious? Or SH sound, and worry that you’re uneducated? Tough decisions here, people).

The solution: Chop up a few of those gorgeous tomatoes from your farmer’s market or your garden (no, store-bought will just not do), smother ’em in the good stuff, and serve with crusty bread. Shortcut 1: We don’t cook the tomatoes at all. They taste amazing. Shortcut 2: If we have fresh bread, we don’t even bother to toast it. But if you want to, you can brush sliced bread with olive oil and crisp it in the toaster oven or under the broiler for a few minutes.

Ta-da! So, without further ado, the… “recipe” (print here)

Ingredients

• Tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

Chop tomatoes and basil, mince garlic, and place all, including the tomato juices, in a mixing bowl. Coat with olive oil, drizzle with about half as much balsamic, and sprinkle with salt. Mix. Taste test and adjust ratios, if needed. Serve immediately with crusty bread, or store in the refrigerator for a few hours to give the flavors time to develop. This will store covered in the refrigerator for a few days.

 Notes

You’ll notice this recipe doesn’t have any amounts—that’s because it’s a taste-as-you-go experience! You can whip this up for lunch for one, or make a huge batch for a party. You should customize to the saltiness, tartness, and garlicky-ness that work with your tomatoes and your taste buds. Start with a little of each ingredient: you can always add more.

We don’t cook our tomatoes or toast our bread, since we like the freshness of all these flavors. The balsamic vinegar will also soften the tomatoes a bit. If you prefer, you can brush sliced bread with olive oil and crisp in the toaster over or under the broiler for a few minutes.

Warm Apricot Cups with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Honey

Don’t you love apricot season? These bright, tangy, velvety little guys have been in abundant supply in our CSA these past few weeks. While we love buying dried apricots for our Summer Orzo Salad (preferably sulfur-free), late spring/early summer means we get to devour them fresh. How beautiful is this color?

Sometimes apricots on their own can be a little too sour. Cooking them for just a few minutes seems to bring out more sugars, and the goat cheese and honey balsamic add a sweet and savory component. Try these as an appetizer or side, or throw them on the grill!

We enjoyed ours with toast, alongside homemade lentil burgers and sautéed green beans for a delicious and fresh summer supper.

Warm Apricot Cups with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Honey (Print here)

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 3 apricots, halved and de-pitted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic
• 6 tablespoons goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon roasted and salted sunflower seeds
• 1 cup arugula

Directions

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, carefully place the apricots, open side down, into the skillet. Cook for at least 5 to 7 minutes, adjusting a couple times to prevent sticking. While the apricots are cooking, whisk together the honey and balsamic. When the apricots are soft and browning, remove from heat and place them open side up on a plate. Fill each “cup” with approximately one tablespoon of goat cheese, drizzle with the honey balsamic, sprinkle with the sunflower seeds, and top with arugula.

We recommend serving immediately, with toast or fresh baguette. They make an impressive appetizer or a great side dish.

Notes

This recipe is very customize-able, and the measurements are just suggestions that can suit your preferred tastes. Cheese lover? Add some extra. Prefer pistachios? They’d taste great too. Hate arugula? Leave it off completely, or sub your favorite greens.

This recipe also scales up or down beautifully, depending on your crowd and appetite.

BBQ season and apricot season might come hand-in-hand in your region. Lucky you! Try these on the grill to wow your guests.