Fluffy Garlic Basil Goat Cheese with Summer Tomatoes

Summer is in full swing and its bounty of fruits and vegetables are local, sweet, and usually on sale. I got some beautiful local tomatoes at a pop up market - a common occurrence during the warmer months in Montreal - and wanted to make something to complement their sweet and tender meatiness.

I love goat cheese and the tart creaminess of it goes beautifully with the tomatoes’ gentle acidity. Because any idiot can serve tomatoes with plain goat cheese, I decided to spruce the cheese up a bit with the fresh sweet basil from my mother’s garden and the robustness of fresh garlic. Whipped into a flavorful spread, this dish is match made in heaven.

Though you can make this with a knife, cutting board, and whisk, if you have a food processor USE IT as it’s WAY less labour intensive and makes the goat cheese extra fluffy.

Here’s How You Do It

Difficulty Level: Easy

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer or snack

Ingredients

1 – 130 g log of Soft Goat Cheese

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil + 1 more Tablespoon for drizzling on the Tomatoes

1 Clove of Garlic, peeled

2 Cups of Fresh Basil

2 Large Summer Tomatoes, thinly sliced

Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Equipment

Food Processor

1 Knife and Cutting Board

Measuring Spoons

1 Rubber Spatula

Dump the Basil and Garlic in your food processor.

Pulse the ingredients once or twice to coarse chop the basil and garlic.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the insides of the food processor so everything stays in range of the blade.

Add the Olive oil and process on high speed for 10-20 seconds until everything becomes more paste – like.

Add the goat cheese and process until fluffy.

I find the tang of the goat cheese is strong enough for this to not need any salt, but taste, and if you feel it needs, add and process for ten seconds to combine.

Arrange the tomato slices on a plate and drizzle on some Olive Oil.

Season with a little salt and pepper and serve with the basil/goat cheese mixture.

Enjoy!

-Samantha R. Gold

Questions? Comments? Requests?

Bring it on!

I can be reached at:  for.the.culinarily.challenged@gmail.com

Trolls will be unceremoniously deleted and dismissed.

Tex Mex Omelet with Bacon and Old Cheddar

Omelets are one of the most versatile dishes out there as you can serve them with just about any savory filling and make a satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner. As they’re made with eggs, they’re incredibly budget friendly, they don’t take much skill to make, and your choice of filling can take you to the Americas, Europe, or Asia!

For this omelette, I opted to go Southwest American, filling it with my favorite store-bought salsa, aged cheddar cheese, and some cooked bacon. The sour cream added to the eggs creates bulk and makes this omelette nice and rich, making it perfect to serve with potatoes and a nice salad.

Here’s How You Do It

Difficulty Level: Medium-Easy

Prep time: 5-10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 2 to 6 depending on appetites and side dishes

Ingredients

5 Large Eggs

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

¼ Cup Grated Aged/Old Cheddar

¼ Cup of you Favorite Tomato Salsa

1 Green Onion aka Scallion, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper – To Taste, Optional – I find the other ingredients provide all the salt you need, so it’s up to you whether or not this needs any seasoning

¼ Cup Finely Chopped Cooked Bacon or Chili Bacon (Optional)

1 Tablespoon Vegetable, Corn, or Canola Oil

Equipment

1 Mixing Bowl

1 Fork or Whisk

1 Box Grater

1 Non Stick Frying Pan

1 Plastic Spatula

1 Knife and Cutting Board

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Plate to serve it with

Get your grated cheese, green onion, salsa, and bacon ready and set aside.

In your trusty mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sour cream together until you can’t tell them apart and they’re evenly combined.

In a pan on medium heat, heat the oil and swish it around to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.

Dump in the egg mixture and swirl the pan around a bit so the bottom is evenly coated.

When the omelet seems slightly cooked around the edges, dip the edge of your spatula in it, pulling it from the outer edges of the pan to the middle, allowing the wet egg mixture to fill in any gaps. You may need to tilt the pan a bit to allow for this.

Repeat the process until the eggs look mostly cooked but are still slightly wet in the middle.

Spoon the salsa over the eggs and add the bacon (if using), the grated cheddar, and most of the green onion. If you’re serving to a crowd, you’ll want some green onion left to top it with and make it pretty.

Using your trusty spatula, fold the omelet in half or roll it into a cylinder – it doesn’t have to be perfect. The heat of the omelet folded in on itself will cook it the rest of the way.

Turn off the heat and slide the omelet onto a plate.

Serve and Enjoy!

-Samantha R. Gold

Questions? Comments? Requests?

Bring it on!

I can be reached at:  for.the.culinarily.challenged@gmail.com

Trolls will be unceremoniously deleted and dismissed.