Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme

Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme is very simple but is elegant enough for entertaining. I recently made it when some friends joined us for dinner and it was the perfect appetizer for four people. It could easily be doubled for a larger group.

The key to a recipe like this is to use the best ingredients you can find. I found a local goat cheese at Metropolitan Market from Gothberg Farms. An assortment of pitted olives was easy to find at the olive bar. (Are we just lucky in Seattle, or are olive bars in grocery stores everywhere?) La Panzanella Mini Croccantini proved to be the perfect cracker to serve with the cheese, but you could use any good quality cracker or slices of a baguette.

Once you’ve found the ingredients, it couldn’t be easier to make Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme. I’m sure I’ll be making it again sometime soon!

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Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon, and Thyme

(Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Weekday: All-Time Favorite Recipes)

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 4

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½ cup assorted olives (pitted, if you prefer)

3 thyme sprigs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 (4-ounce) fresh goat cheese medallion

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For serving:

Crackers or baguette slices

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Gothberg Farms Chèvre

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1. Put the olives, thyme sprigs, olive oil, lemon zest, and black pepper into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until it’s warm and fragrant. Do not boil.

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2. Let the olive mixture cool off, and then pour over the cheese in a small serving dish.