Goat Cheese with Fresh Dill and Paprika (original) (raw)

Mmmm. Yum. Groooan. Yum again. Mmmm. Yum.

Okay, I had to get that out. Thank you for listening.

Oh, how I’ve fallen in deep love with this criminally simple but exceedingly flavorful and fancy appetizer/hors d’oeuvre, introduced to me a few years ago by an unsuspecting caterer. I’ve made them several times since then and I have only two words to say: It’s a total keeper. Okay, four words. I’m terrible with estimates.

:

Before we begin, stick the package of goat cheese in the freezer for a few minutes, just to firm it up a bit.

Begin by chopping the dill pretty finely.

You’ll find that dill is so delicate and fine anyway, you really just need to chop it normally and it will be “fine.”

Keep chopping until you have a nice pile.

(We’ll talk about this knife at another time, but I just need to point out that it is the best knife I’ve ever owned. I haven’t used another knife since I got it.)

Sorry. I like to break from the subject at hand and start talking about knives out of the blue. But back to the dill: spread it out a bit and let it dry for a couple of minutes.

And just sit there and admire it. Because finely chopped dill is one of life’s great visual delights. It’s just so…mossy. Like Midsummer Night’s Dream.

I was in that ballet, by the way. And all I wanted was to wear one of the nymphs’ costumes because their tutus were covered in a sparkly, ethereal moss.

Instead, I got one of the main parts—Helena. And she wasn’t even the pretty one. She was the annoying one that Demetrius rejected in favor of Hermia. Excuse me while I go mourn the mossy tutu I never got to wear.

Okay, I’m back. Now remove the goat cheese from the freezer. It should be slightly firm.

Go ahead and carefully unwrap the package.

Now just place the goat cheese on the edge of the chopped dill…

And gently roll it over to coat it. Ooooh…isn’t it lovely already?

Just keep rolling gently, lightly pressing some of the dill on the bare spots.

It’s green. It’s beautiful. It’s…dare I say? Mossy.

Let’s go make another one. It’s slightly different.

Find your paprika.

On a small cookie sheet, start spilling some out.

I think that should be enough. Actually, I have no idea. I’m just guessing here, as usual.

Now. It has to be said that this color is hands down, one of my favorite colors ever. I love to wear it, I love to look at it, I love to paint it, I love to smear it all over my face and body and prance around Main Street, unabashed.

Now, grab another package of goat cheese and repeat the same rolling procedure we used with the dill. And oops! See that pesky fingerprint? That’s what happens when you don’t stick it in the freezer first.

And I did NOT lick my finger. I did not, I did not, I did not. No one saw it; no one can prove a thing.

Just keep rolling until the the goat cheese is totally covered in paprika.

Now, to chill until party time, just wrap each roll/log/cylinder/whatever snugly in plastic wrap.

But note: While the goat cheese with dill does well for awhile, the goat cheese with paprika really shouldn’t remain wrapped in plastic for more than an hour or two. Any longer than that, and the paprika begins to get moist and pasty. You don’t want to lose that light, powdery texture.

When you’re ready to serve, transfer both rolls/logs/cynlinders/whatever to a nice little platter or dish.

I’m using this. I like to put them side-by-side because the colors and textures are oh-so-perfect together.

So if you serve it cold, it’s easier to slice into neat pieces. (If it’s room temperature, you get into more of a smearing type of scenario…and you never know the hell that could break loose once guests start smearing stuff. It’s best not to put yourself in that position.)

Just serve them with nice, substantial crackers or crostini, which are toasted slices of tiny baguette. I think.

And I need to tell you something important: As beautiful, dramatic, and charming these little treats are, they are even more delicious—and I ain’t lyin’. The dill is a perfectly tangy complement to the creamy goat cheese, and the paprika gives it a different flavor that rounds the whole thing up somehow. Yum. Yum yum. Yum yum yum. (Etc.)

So next time you hold a wine tasting at your house, or a gallery show, or a symphony gala…or if you just want to treat yourself to something a little special, make these little numbers. They’ll definitely make your skirt fly up. Unless you’re a man.

And then they probably won’t.

Love,
Pioneer Woman