Crispy Goat’s Cheese With Rocket Pesto

Crispy Goat’s Cheese With Rocket Pesto

Indulge in the mouthwatering presentation of these crispy goat’s cheese with rocket pesto appetisers, any foodie would love & that elevates the creamy, herbaceous goodness of this goat’s cheese to new heights.

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These appetisers have really come together nicely for a flavoursome addition to the menu. Peppery rocket with buttery macadamias and the nuttiness of pine nuts with creamy goat’s cheese- yum!

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Crispy Goat’s Cheese With Rocket Pesto

(Serves 12 Prep 30 mins)

You Will Need:

• Goat’s cheese: On its own, goat’s cheese can be quite polarising, also called chèvre, it’s a type of cheese made from the milk of goats. It has a distinct flavour that can range from mild and creamy to sharp and tangy, depending on the age and processing method. Goat’s cheese is creamy in texture and often used in salads, appetisers, and main courses. In this dish, it is paired perfectly to enhance it’s creaminess and sweetness & balance the polarising character.
• Eggs: Eggs are used to provide a sticky surface for the crumb to adhere to the cheese.
• Flour: Flour is used to seal in the moisture of the cheese and protect it from the high heat in the oil & to create a surface for the egg to stick.
• Panko crumbs: Panko crumbs are a type of breadcrumb commonly used in Japanese cuisine. They create a light flaky crumb compared to traditional breadcrumbs.
• Za’atar: Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made from dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, and marjoram, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, salt, and sometimes sumac. It has a savoury and slightly tangy flavour profile. You could season your own preferred spice mix however.
• Salt: Salt is used to enhance the flavour of food and also plays a crucial role in various chemical reactions during cooking.
• Rocket pesto (homemade): The rocket pesto is a variation of traditional basil pesto made with rocket leaves (also known as arugula), garlic, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt. It has a peppery and slightly bitter flavour profile & I think it works well in this dish.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil is my choice for this dish. It adds a mild coconut flavour & it ha a high smoke point, meaning that it can withstand high high without producing smoke or toxins.
• Pancetta slices: Pancetta is an Italian cured meat made from pork belly that is seasoned with salt and spices, then rolled and dried or cured. It has a rich and savoury flavour with a subtle sweetness. When fried in the coconut oil, it adds another nice crunch element. you could substitute with crispy fried shallots for a vegetarian take.

Instructions:

1. Freeze Goat’s cheese: Begin by popping the goat’s cheese logs into the freezer, allowing them to firm up while you organise your other ingredients.
2. Prepare your crumbing station: In a medium zip lock bag or bowl, add flour.
3. In a 2nd ziplock bag, add panko: In a separate Ziplock bag, add your Panko breadcrumbs. I prefer panko as it creates a nicer crunch and it is a light crumb.
4. Whisk the Egg: Crack open an egg into a small bowl and lightly whisk it. The egg serves as the glue that binds our crumb to the creamy cheese.
5. Add Seasoning: Elevate the flavour profile of the Panko breadcrumbs by sprinkling in a pinch of salt and a generous dash of za’atar– any spices are ok. I love za’atar so have chosen this infusing a little Middle Eastern flavour for a twist.
6. For the Pesto: In a food processor, combine fresh rocket leaves, Olive oil, Garlic cloves, toasted pine nuts, Macadamia nuts, Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of salt. Blitz until smooth and aromatic, then set aside. Again, you can improvise, basil pesto would work too. It’s more for the pop of colour but the rocket has such a lovely peppery flavour.
7. Remove the goat’s Cheese from the freezer: Retrieve the chilled goat’s cheese logs from the freezer, open and slice each log into six evenly sized rounds. Don’t worry if they are not perfectly round, you can remould later.
8. Coat the Cheese: Dip each cheese round into the flour, ensuring it’s evenly coated, then transfer it to the whisked egg, followed by the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, ensuring each round is thoroughly coated.
9. Coat Cheese a 2nd time: For an extra crispy finish, give each cheese round a second dip in the egg and a second roll in the Panko breadcrumbs, ensuring a double layer of of the crumb. This can create a crispier coating and stop the cheese melting out when heated in the oil.
10. Refrigerate the crumbed cheese: Allow the crumbed cheese rounds to chill in the refrigerator for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the coating to set and adhere firmly to the cheese.
11. Heat Coconut oil: In a frying pan or wok, heat coconut oil to a depth of 1-2 inches, over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and tiny bubbles started from on the bottom of the pan. Test the oil by dropping some panko into the oil- it should sizzle.
12. Cook the Cheese: Before frying, take a moment to reshape any cheese rounds if needed, ensuring they maintain their uniformity. Then, carefully place up to six rounds into the hot oil, giving them plenty of space to sizzle and crisp up. Be careful not to burn yourself with spatter. Use a slotted spoon to gently immerse the cheese into the oil.
13. Flatten slightly: Gently press down on each cheese round with a spatula to flatten them slightly, encouraging even cooking and ensuring a uniform golden-brown color.
14. Turn the cheese: Allow the cheese rounds to cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes, or until they turn a golden brown colour on the bottom. Then, using 2 forks, carefully turn each round over to cook the other side.
15. Drain the cheese: As each cheese round reaches a golden colour both sides, gently remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel, allowing any excess oil to drain away. Once all the cheese is cooked, keep the pan on.
16. Cook pancetta: In the same pan, lay out thin slices of pancetta and cook until they become crisp and golden then remove from the oil and turn the heat off.
17. Drain Pancetta: Once the pancetta is near crispy, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain away any excess grease. Once it is removed from the oil, it will crisp up a little more.
18. Serve : Plate up your crispy cheese rounds and serve each one with a generous dollop of the rocket pesto & top with a tsp of crispy pancetta for a burst of flavour and further crunch.
19. If you are looking for a vegetarian option- omit the pancetta and optionally add crispy fried shallots.
20. Enjoy!:

Helpful Tips

• Goat’s cheese can be hard to work with so for best results, freeze it until you are ready to crumb and then slice and refrigerate until you are ready to fry.

• I have coated the cheese twice to prevent it from leeching into the fry pan & to make it extra crispy.

• If you are finding it hard to keep the cheese in rounds, just double crumb and refrigerate to firm up and then remould before you fry.

• You could use any sort of pesto and could even present the cheese on crispy fig slices or stand a crispy fig slice in the pesto.

• I have seasoned the panko crumbs with salt and za’atar (a mix of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame, cumin, sumac, coriander) but any herbs or spices are ok but you don’t want to take away from the flavour of the goat’s cheese.

• I have used a coconut oil to shallow fry the cheese and the same oil to crisp the pancetta- if you don’t like the taste of coconut oil, you can use a different flavour.

• For A vegetarian option, you could add crispy fried shallots which are available at the grocery store in the Asian section & leave out the pancetta.

Crispy Goat’s Cheese With Rocket Pesto

Recipe

(Serves 12 Prep 30 mins)

Ingredients

• 160gm Goat’s cheese (log not jar)
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 cup Panko crumbs
• 2 heaped tsp Za’atar
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• Rocket pesto
• 100gm Rocket leaves
• 40gm Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Pine nuts
• 1/4 cup Macadamia nuts
• 3 cloves Garlic
• Coconut oil to shallow fry
• 60gm Pancetta

Method

1. Throw your Goat’s cheese in the freezer whilst preparing other appetisers.
2. In a medium zip lock bag or bowl, add flour
3. In a 2nd ziplock bag, add panko
4. In a small bowl, add egg & whisk
5. Add salt and za’atar to panko
6. For the Pesto
7. Add the Rocket, Olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, Parmesan and salt to a food processor & blitz- set aside
8. Take the logs of Goat’s cheese out and cut each log into 6 even rounds
9. Place each round into the flour to coat, then egg, then panko
10. Coat each round a 2nd time with egg and panko
11. Don’t worry too much about the shape at this stage, you can always remould later
12. Refrigerate the crumbed cheese for another 30 mins
13. Heat approx 1 inch Coconut oil in a pan on Med high
14. Reshape your goat’s cheese if required and place in pan (6 at a time)
15. Flatten slightly with a spatula
16. Cook for 1-2mins until golden on bottom then flip using 2 forks and cook the other side
17. Once golden both sides, remove from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel
18. Place pancetta in the pan and cook until crispy
19. Drain on paper towel
20. Serve Cheese with a generous dollop of pesto and crispy pancetta on top
21. For a vegetarian option, omit the pancetta & add crispy fried shallots.
22. Enjoy!

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Sauvignon Blanc: Goat’s cheese tends to have a tangy and earthy flavour & pairs well with both white and red wines, but typically, whites like Sauvignon Blanc.

Chardonnay: Look for a Chardonnay with moderate oak influence and good acidity. This wine can match well with the richness of the goat’s cheese and the nutty flavours from the pesto and nuts.

Viognier: Viognier offers floral aromas along with flavours of stone fruits and honey, which can complement the richness of the goat’s cheese and the nuttiness of the dish.

Pinot Grigio: Rocket (arugula) pesto has peppery and nutty flavours. This could go nicely with a crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or a light-bodied red.

Chianti: Pancetta adds a salty and savoury element. It would match with a medium-bodied red wine like a Chianti or a Pinot Noir.