Marinated Cheese in a Jar

I saw this technique in the March 2013 issue of Sunset and loved the idea.  This recipe is attributed to David Tanis (a Chez Panisse alum) from his cookbook One Good Dish:   The Pleasures of a Simple Meal.

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I perused through this book on Amazon and a few recipes caught my eye (and imagination):   Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese, Save-Your-Life-Garlic Soup, Saffron and Lemon Risotto, Swiss Chard al Forno….  I am destined to buy this book.

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I had to make this recipe.

Cheese in a Jar by David Tanis
Sunset, March 2014

1/2 lb. fresh goat cheese or mild feta, cut into two chunks
1 thyme sprig
1 rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, halved
2-3 whole black peppercorns
Olive oil

Place cheese, herbs, garlic, and peppercorns in a clean jar.   Pour in olive oil to cover.   Seal tightly and chill for several days before serving.  (Keeps refrigerated for up to one month.)

Serve with a crusty baguette.

I used a block of feta and foraged through the garden for some living herbs.   My rosemary, which is close to the house, has never frozen back during its sixteen years of being.   I did have to go to the hoop house to find some thyme.   The bay leaf came from my tree in the green house.   (This bay tree may have bitten the dust too in the recent polar vortexes so please send good thoughts to it.   You all did think my lemon tree back to health.)   The garlic is from last summer’s harvest.

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Peppercorns…not from our garden.

Speaking of spring…wouldn’t this be a great appetizer to take along on a picnic.   Throw a crusty loaf of bread in the basket, a bottle of wine….perfection.

 

A BOOK of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness—
O, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

—-Omar Khayyám

Add a jar ‘o cheese and the picnic is complete.   (My apologies to Edward Fitzgerald for using his translated verse to glorify cheese.)

BTW:   I just bought this book for my Kindle.

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