Would You Bring an Appetizer? Goat Cheese Spread with Dill and Red Onion

Just spread on sliced baguette.

Bring an appetizer.  Sounds easy, right?  But what to bring?  Chips?  Veggies and dip?  Usual suspects like sliced salami, olives, and marinated mushrooms off the bar at the grocery?  This little appetizer is good any time of the year, but is perfect in the summer with a crisp and ice cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or my favorite version,  Sancerre.



Now the cool thing, to coin a phrase, about this little job is there's no cooking.  No stove to heat, no oven to preheat.  Nothing to keep warm or even to keep particularly cold once you get there.  It may take you all of 5-10 minutes to fix and you're ready.

It was so hot this week that I said I wasn't cooking one night.  Of course the old restaurants in St. Paul are hotter than our house.   So instead of cooking I made a couple of different cheese spreads (including this one), bought a little proscuitto,  baguette,  some fruit, a bottle of cold wine, and called it dinner.  We then kept finding other uses for the cheese spreads.... so:

 Make a little extra; there's lots you can do with this spread or any leftover cheese on its own:

fried goat cheese

Slice very cold goat cheese.  Dip in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, and fry 1 minute on each side in olive oil.  Wow.

omelet stuffed with spinach and goat cheese spread

grilled chicken breast topped with goat cheese spread

Here's where my dill comes from--my next door neighbor's beauteous and bountiful garden.

Try this:

goat cheese spread with dill and red onion

7 oz goat cheese at room temperature
Pinch of kosher salt and 1/4 t fresh ground white pepper
2-4 T plain yogurt   (start with 2 and add more if spread is too dry)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or more to taste)
1 T  finely minced red onion  

In a medium bowl, place all ingredients and mash well with a fork.  Taste and re-season if necessary or add more yogurt so the cheese is spreadable.  A drop or two of Tabasco is a fine addition.  Serve with sliced baguette, fresh, toasted, or grilled.
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The Wine Thief and The Ale Jail


And here's where my wine comes from--two doors down @  1787 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota 55105.  Go see them to enjoy some good company and to arrange your next pairing.
We like to keep it in the neighborhood.
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If you like this, you might like    Make Your Own Cheese  right here on Dinner Place.


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Have fun (not) cooking and taking care of yourself,
Alyce