Creole baked goat cheese and other appetizers

Creole Baked Goat Cheese

Serves 2-4

A flavorful combination of fresh Chevre goat cheese, vine-ripened tomato, sweet onion, fresh garlic and cilantro served in roasted red pepper wedges.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp garlic, fresh, minced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, 1/4-inch diced
• 4 oz fresh chevre goat cheese
• 1 each vine-ripened Roma tomato, seeded and diced 1/4-inch
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Roasted red pepper cups (see recipe below)
• Garlic crouton rounds (see recipe below) 

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and onions and sauté just until the onions become translucent.
2. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
3. Transfer the onion-garlic mixture to a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
4. Mix with a rubber spatula to thoroughly blend. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Fill roasted red pepper cups with goat cheese mixture and bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for 10 minutes.
6. Now, place the garlic crouton rounds in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and transfer the pepper cups to the center of a serving platter and arrange the baked croutons in a circle around the pepper cups.
8. Serve with a fresh tomato salsa on the side.

Note: When eating this dish, we recommend cutting the pepper cups into wedges for the full experience of eating the filling with the red pepper.

Roasted Red Pepper Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized red bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil as needed
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cut red pepper in half to form a top and bottom.
2. Remove and discard the seeds and trim the stem to allow the top half pepper cup to stand up.
3. Rub the inside of the pepper cups with olive oil and season them lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Place them in a pie plate, cut side up, and bake them for 5 minutes in a 350 degrees F, preheated oven. During this roasting step you will be just slightly softening the pepper. The final cooking will take place after the pepper cups are stuffed.
5. Allow the cups to cool upside down to allow the excess juice to drain out prior to filling with the goat cheese mixture.

Garlic Crouton Rounds

Ingredients:

• 1/2 loaf Cuban bread or French baguette, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 Tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Cut the bread crosswise into 16 (1/4-inch thick) slices. Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl, blend the garlic, chopped parsley and softened butter until thoroughly mix.
3. Spread the top and bottom of each slice of bread with about 1/2 tsp of garlic butter on each side.
4. Place the buttered croutons on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 5 minutes in a 350 degrees F, preheated oven at time of service.

More Mardi Gras ideas

Mardi Gras menu and mouthwatering recipes
Tips to throw a Mardi Gras party
The King of King Cakes