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I created this recipe for a gourmet dinner group that I belonged to. The hostess asked me to prepare
a starter dish using mango. The combination of the hot goat cheese and the cold salsa makes a delightful dish to tease the palates and start the meal off.
Check out Linda's
Appetizer Recipes for more great appetizer ideas.
Goat Cheese Medallions with Mango-Pepper Salsa Recipe
Recipe Type:
Appetizer,
Goat Cheese,
Mango,
Chile Peppers
Yields:
makes 28 medallions
Prep time: 35 min
Bake time: 6 min
Ingredients:
Mango-Pepper Salsa (see recipe below)
Goat Cheese Medallions (see recipe below)
Coarsely-ground black pepper
Snipped fresh chives or long chives stems
Preparation:
Prepare Mango-Pepper
Salsa and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Prepare Goat Cheese
Medallions. These may be prepared in adanced and refrigerated, covered, until ready to
bake and serve.
To plate and serve:
Using individual serving plates (white plates preferred), layer approximately 3
tablespoons Mango-Pepper Salsa in the center of each serving plate. Sprinkle coarse black
pepper over salsa and around the plate. Place two hot Goat Cheese Medallions (overlapping
each other) onto the top of the salsa on each plate. Sprinkle with snipped chives or cross
two chive stems across each other and place on top of the goat cheese medallions. Serve
immediately.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Mango-Pepper Salsa:
3 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and small diced
2 red
chile peppers (or to taste), seeded, deveined, and very finely chopped*
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
Coarse
salt to taste (approximately 2 pinches)
2 teaspoons freshly ground
black pepper
*The color of the red chile peppers
provides a nice contrast in colors. Add just enough peppers to give a slight "kick" but not overpowering.
In a large bowl, gently toss mango,chile peppers, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to
taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Goat Cheese Medallions:
2 (7-inch) soft
goat cheese logs
2/3 cup extra-virgin
olive oil
1/2 cup fine
bread crumbs
2/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts*
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
*To toast hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 350
degrees F. Place whole hazelnuts in a large baking pan and bake, stirring frequently, for
10 to 15 minutes or until lightly toasted (watch carefully to keep nuts from burning).
Remove from oven immediately and wrap nuts in a double thickness of paper toweling. Place
wrapped nuts in a resealable plastic bag; seal bag and allow nuts to steam for 5 minutes.
Roll enclosed nuts back and forth on a hard surface to remove skins. Remove nuts from bag
and toweling; discard skins.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch slices. Tip: Use dental floss to slice the cheese logs cleanly.
Pour olive oil into a small bowl; dip goat cheese slices into olive oil and coat both sides of each slice.
In another small bowl, combine bread crumbs, hazelnuts, and pepper; place the
olive oil coated goat cheese slices into the crumb mixture (gently pat nut mixture onto the goat cheese, turning to coat all sides).
Place the prepared goat cheese medallions on a non-stick or lightly oiled baking sheet. (NOTE: the croutons may be refrigerated at this
point for several hours). Bake for approximately 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese softens slightly.
Remove from oven and serve immediately with Mango-Pepper Salsa.
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