Delicious served with bread or crackers, these cheeses are also a wonderful addition to pizzas, pastas and salads.
Ingredients
1 11-ounce log fresh soft goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
5 large garlic cloves (unpeeled), pierced
1/2 cup (about) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 sun-dried tomatoes
5 small sprigs fresh rosemary
5 small sprigs fresh thyme
7/8 to 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
1/2 cup (about) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup (about) walnut oil
Pepper
*Dried porcini are available at Italian markets and specialty foods stores.
Directions
Cut goat cheese into twelve 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Set rounds aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic in heavy small pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until garlic is tender when pierced with small sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly; peel garlic cloves. Reserve oil in pan.
Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Let tomatoes stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain; pat dry.
Put 1 tomato, 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig each rosemary and thyme in bottom of 8-ounce jar. Drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil reserved from garlic. Place 1 cheese round atop herbs. Drizzle with more reserved olive oil. Repeat layering, using remaining tomatoes, garlic, herbs, garlic oil and 3 more cheese rounds. Pour in enough olive oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)
Rinse mushrooms briefly with cold water; drain. Place mushrooms in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover and let stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy small skillet. Add garlic and sauté until just golden, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until just heated through, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Mix in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Layer mushrooms, olive oil and 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, beginning and ending with mushrooms. Pour in enough oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place walnuts on small cookie sheet. Toast until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
Finely chop walnuts. Layer walnuts, walnut oil and remaining 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, seasoning each layer generously with pepper. Pour in enough walnut oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.)
