Ok. I have to admit it.
I was never one for chevre. Love yogurt. farmers’ cheese that’s ok too. But the goat- nope.
Yes, I would eat it to be polite.
But it never really occurred to me to cook with it.
Typically, I had seen it served as an appetizer with olive oil, basil and tomatoes, in a salad or very occasionally in a dessert.
While tangy soft cheeses seem to do well with fresh herbs and a good oil, the chevre always seemed flat. But my world was about to change!
While, I was at Costco last week, I spied a 16 ounce size of Laura Chenel’s Chef’s Chevre for $5.79.
Now that is a deal!
Around here in lovely San Francisco you can expect to pay any where from $3.99 to $6.99 for 4 oz size for a good Goat Cheese. The Chef’s Chevre was just too good a deal to pass up. So, I went for it. I took the goat home with me ( yes, a first).
Of course, I had to cook with it immediately.
Amazingly, I was delighted at the taste. It was fresh, fresh, fresh with a nice texture. It was quite unlike any of the other goat cheeses I had tried. None of that musty old goat stuff, here. This was a very lucky find indeed!
Seriously, this chevre makes a wonderful sauce for pasta and I would recommend it in lieu of cream cheese in most recipe applications. The flavor is fresh, tangy and light, lending itself to fresh herbs and brighter summer flavors. Plus, goat cheese is lower in calories than cream cheese and goat is one of the most sustainable of our domestic animals.
Here’s how I made a nice sauce for gemilli.
Prosciutto, Shallot and EVOO
First we want to build in some base flavors.
Tip: Get Good Pitted Olives
Use a good quality olive- about 3 oz or so.
Saute Tomatoes. Add Olives
After the shallot and prosciutto are roughly cooked, add the tomatoes.
Let the tomatoes soften, then add olives.
Next, add about 4oz of chicken stock
Add About 4 oz Of The Chevre
Let it simmer for a minute to allow the flavors to mix.
The Chevre Breaks Into A Creamy Sauce
The chevre will flavor and thicken the sauce base.
Incorporate the Gemilli
Time the gemilli so that it finishes cooking just about the time you add the chevre.
Remove the gemilli from the water.
Reserve about a 1/4 cup, 2oz of the pasta water.
Add your desired amount of gemilli ( here about 8 oz)
Add in the pasta water.
Incorporate into the pan with the sauce
Let it come together for a minute or two.
Add a dash of lemon juice or a tiny dash of lemon zest.
For a touch of heat- add tiny dash of Aleppo Chili Flake
Add some roughly chopped parsley or basil.
Voila- Your Gemilli and the Goat is done
Enjoy!!!!
Recipe Details:
As prepared, I used the following amounts of ingredients:
Pasta: 8 ounces ( this will serve two very ravenous people or four normal portions)
Reserve about 2oz of the pasta water. Add to the sauce after adding the pasta. It helps the flavors of the sauce to mesh
Shallot: I used 1/2 of a large shallot
Olive Oil: about 2-3 ounces- enough to coat a large pan
Prosciutto: I used one very thin pieces- chopped
Tomatoes: 4 Medium sized- chopped with seeds and skins on
Note: you could remove the seeds, but for this recipe, I do not think it adds anything
If you want a tangier taste- use about an equal amount of sun dried tomatoes*
they should be chopped very finely.
Olives: 3-4 oz. Use a good quality olive,as they are a critical component of the sauce. The canned
Early Cal Olives are way too sweet for this dish.
Herb: Parsley or Basil. Rough cut.
Extras:
To add a touch of heat: Dash of Aleppo Chili Flake
To add a little brightness: Dash of lemon zest.
*Unless you buy sun dried tomatoes that are packed in oil, the sun-dried tomatoes will need to be reconstituted before use. Just let them soak in warm water for thirty minutes until soft and pliable, drain pat dry and you are good to go.
