Goat Cheese Medallions are made with logs of goat cheese rolled in freshly roasted hazelnuts. They make wonderful and delicious appetizers! The outside of the cheese is crusted in crumbs and crisp, and the inside is warm and running with oozing, velvety goat cheese.
You can serve these hot cheese rounds as a first course, with a salad, or either cut or make them in smaller sizes and serve them as an appetizer. Fresh goat cheese also pairs wonderfully with the local wines and micro-brews. Every day, more and more people discover the delights of goat cheese, thus continuing the demand for it. Many people who are lactose intolerant or have other milk-related allergies can eat cheeses made from goat milk.
I served this appetizer with Roasted Olives with Fennel and Lemon.
- 1 (7-inch) log goat cheese, soft
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs, fine*
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and ground**
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely-ground (according to your taste)
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch slices. Tip: Use dental floss to slice the cheese logs cleanly.
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Pour olive oil into a small bowl; dip goat cheese slices into olive oil and coat both sides of each slice.
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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).
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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 or even overnight. Bake for approximately 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese softens slightly.
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Remove from oven and serve immediately.
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Makes 14 Goat Cheese Medallions.
* Learn how to Make Homemade Bread Crumbs
** 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.