Herb & Lemon Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer

Even people who don’t think they like goat cheese seem to gobble up this easy appetizer at cocktail parties. Make it a few (or several) hours ahead, refrigerate it, and then let it warm up a bit before putting it out with toasted baguette slices or crackers. Feel free to customize this with your favorite herbs.

1 4-ounce log fresh goat cheese, sliced into 6 pieces
4 fresh thyme sprigs
4 fresh rosemary sprigs (3- to 4-inches long)
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 tsp. chopped pitted Kalamata olives or sundried tomatoes
sea salt or kosher salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, more if necessary
toasted crostini, baguette slices, or crackers for serving

Arrange the slices of goat cheese and the herb sprigs snugly in one layer in a small shallow dish. Sprinkle the lemon zest and the olives or sundried tomatoes over and around the cheese, and sprinkle the cheese with a little sea salt. Pour over the olive oil. Let the cheese marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, and bring it to room temperature about 45 minutes before serving. Put the dish of cheese, the baguette slices, and a couple of small knives out for serving.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

A version of this recipe originally appeared in Fine Cooking magazine.

Recipe by Susie Middleton