Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil

Remember that goat cheese ball that the girls were raving about at my spa party last week?  They claimed it was the perfect accompaniment to all flavors of Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese that we sampled and I promised to share the recipe with you all.

It has a tangy flavor from the goat cheese and a little bit of sharp nuttiness from the parmesan.   The ball sits in a pretty bright green pool of basil oil for presentation.  If I had a good crusty bread I'd dip it in there but otherwise you could simplify and do without missing it too much.

By the way, have you entered to win your own Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese yet?  The giveaway ends on Friday, 7/13 so don't miss your chance!

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Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Ingredients:

For the Goat Cheese:

• ½ oz. Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 oz. semi-firm plain goat cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ¼ tsp. coarse salt, plus more to taste

For the Basil Oil:

• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Place the parmesan in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until finely ground.  Add the panko to the bowl and pulse a few more times so the cheese and crumbs have an even, fine texture.  Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.  Transfer to a shallow plate or bowl.  Wipe out the bowl of the food processor.
2. Place the goat cheese in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the salt over the minced garlic and smash the mixture together with a fork or the side of a chef’s knife until it forms a paste.  Add the garlic paste to the bowl with the goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir the mixture together until smooth and well blended.  Form the goat cheese mixture into a round ball.  Roll the ball in the Parmesan-panko mixture until well coated.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3. To make the basil oil, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add the basil leaves to the pot and boil for 30 seconds.  Drain and rinse immediately with cold water.  Blot the basil leaves with a towel to remove all of the excess water.  Add the basil leaves and the garlic to the bowl of the food processor.  Pulse until finely minced.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  With the food processor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.  Continue processing until the mixture is well blended and the oil takes on a green hue.  Strain the oil mixture through a fine mesh sieve onto a serving plate.  Place the ball of goat cheese in the center of the basil oil.  Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired.  Serve with any flavor Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese (recommended!) or baguette slices.

Source: Annie's Eats