Goat Cheese Pesto Sun Dried Tomato Terrine Recipes

GOAT CHEESE, PESTO AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO TERRINE

Steps:

• In a small dry pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour onto a plate to cool. (The nuts will continue to cook after you remove them from the heat so be sure that you don't let them brown too much - they can easily burn!)
• Line a 2 cup bowl (try to use a bowl with sharply sloped sides) with a piece of plastic wrap. (Be sure to cut a large enough piece of plastic wrap that you have several inches of plastic wrap extended over the sides of the bowl.)
• In a large mixing bowl with a fork, mash together the goat cheese, ¼ cup of cream, salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix until well blended. If the goat cheese seems very dry, add up to another ¼ cup of cream - you want the mixture to be soft but not soggy.
• Spoon about 1/3rd of the goat cheese into the lined bowl, pressing down gently with a spoon to pack the cheese into an even layer. The spread the pesto over the cheese covering it completely (you will want some of the basil to peak out of the finished terrine, so make sure the pesto reaches the outer edges). Then top the pesto with another 1/3rd of the cheese (I found it helpful to drop the cheese with a teaspoon all over the pesto and then gently spread to cover the pesto evenly). Next, add the sun-dried tomatoes in a layer and sprinkle with all but about ½ tablespoon of the toasted pine nuts. Finally, add the remaining layer of goat cheese.
• Fold the plastic wrap edges over the top of the final layer of cheese and gently pack down. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (may be refrigerated for longer).
• About a ½ hour before serving, remove the terrine from the refrigerator. Place the bowl in a shallow bowl of very warm water for about 30 seconds (you only want the warm water to go halfway up the bowl). Then pull on the edges of the plastic wrap to loosen the terrine from the bowl.
• Place your serving dish over the glass bowl, making sure that the plastic edges are not under the terrine. Then invert the terrine onto your serving dish. If the terrine does not slide out immediately, leave it inverted for about a minute to allow the weight of the terrine to break the suction in the bottom of the bowl. If it still doesn't come out, try placing the bowl in warm water again and repeat the above steps.
• Once the terrine is out, gently peel off the plastic wrap. Drizzle with a little olive oil and let sit for half an hour to warm up. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with crackers or sliced bread.

GOAT CHEESE PESTO SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD (MAKE AHEAD)

Steps:

• Line an 8 x 4 loaf pan with plastic wrap.
• Process the first five ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
• Spread one-third of the cheese mixture in the lined pan.
• Top with the pesto.
• Spread one-third of the cheese mixture over pesto.
• Spread the chopped, drained sun dried tomatoes next.
• Top with the remaining cheese mixture.
• Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Invert spread onto serving plate. Garnish, if desired, with tomato slivers and/or herb leaves.
• Serve with french bread slices (or crackers).

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND GOATS CHEESE PESTO

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 180°C.
• Put nuts on baking tray and bake 5 minutes or until toasted.
• Place them and goats cheese and basil and tomatoes in food processor.
• Process till finely chopped.
• With motor running add oil and water.
• Taste and season.
• Serve with pasta of your choice.

GOAT CHEESE, SUN-DRIED TOMATO, AND PESTO TORTA

Steps:

• Mix goat cheese and cream cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine goat-cream cheese mixture with the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (again).
• Line a 2-cup ramekin or a small bowl with plastic wrap, extending the wrap over the sides. spray the plastic wrap with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spread half the goat-cream cheese mixture evenly in the bottom of the ramekin. Cover with pesto, then with the cheese tomato mixture. top with remaining goat cheese mixture. Fold wrap over the final cheese layer and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Invert the torta onto a platter and peel off the plastic wrap. Garnish with basil and serve with baguette slices.
• **The torta can be made 2days ahead and refrigerated. This torta can be so gorgeous if you pay attention to making clean, well defined layers.