I’m not usually a fancy cheese girl.
It tantalizes me, really, and I’ve always loved raising my status in a group by going bold and ordering a meal with goat cheese in a restaurant. Other than goat cheese and feta, however, my cheese experience pretty much begins with cheddar and ends with mozzarella.
When Ile de France Cheese offered to send me some samples, I wasn’t even sure what to ask for. I got goat cheese, brie, Fol Epi (???), and some very, very stinky cheese that I gave away to Jen at Big Binder Blog, who really likes stinky cheese.
I was seriously intimidated.
In case you haven’t noticed, my recipes all use…cheddar or mozzarella. Have I said that before? Repeating myself if a bit like the cheese selection in my refrigerator…
I did manage to use all the cheese, and in spite of my fears, I enjoyed experimenting, although I didn’t go very far outside my comfort zone. I mainly adapted recipes I already had to include fancier cheese. Just goes to show you don’t have to try something radically new to try something new.
I’m working on focusing on in-season produce this month, since the Farmer’s Markets are bursting with fresh veggies here in Michigan, where the growing season has finally caught up to the eating season.
Cabbage.
Cabbages can be huge, especially if you always go for the biggest ones to get your money’s worth when they’re priced individually instead of by the pound. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to use the whole thing when you’re not a sauerkraut maker. (Pity I’m not; my 100% Polish grandmother used to have a fifteen-gallon crock to make hers in. Isn’t that fabulous?)
I like using about half to make Simple Cabbage Soup with Secret Super Food, and the rest for Beef and Cabbage Pockets from The Nourishing Gourmet. However, it’s really nice to have more than two recipes for a massive head of cabbage (which is actually pretty healthy, not like iceberg lettuce like I used to think).
Recipe: Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese (or Feta)
This simple salad goes together in minutes and is a welcome change from a lettuce salad each night at dinner. Cool, crisp, with a little bite, cabbage salad will refresh you, even if you don’t like coleslaw!
Ingredients:
1/4 head cabbage (or less)
2-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/2-1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt
dill
goat cheese (or feta)
optional: Add sunflower seeds and/or shredded carrots for color if you’re serving a crowd.
Method:
Shred cabbage with a sharp knife. Drizzle EVOO and vinegar on top and mix well until satisfied with the saturation. Add more to taste. Sprinkle salt and dill over the top like this:
and mix in with the garlic. This recipe is not for those who love their measuring spoons! Add goat cheese or feta to taste.
The salad lasts well a day in the refrigerator, and somewhat well for a few more days, but it’s definitely best freshly made!
Does your cheese intimidate you? What do you do with the fancy stuff?
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My little guy is allergic to cows’ milk but can tolerate goats’ milk okay, so we always have goat’s cheese in the house for him. I will use it in my salad or on crackers, but that’s about as far as I will venture. I have been tempted to use some creamy goat cheese in some lasagna, but I’m a little scared that it will be gross
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Katie Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Stephanie,
Katie
I tried this goat cheese in just about everything, including a corner of a traditional lasagna. It was fine! Just don’t go too heavy on it, I would think.
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We have great goat cheesee at our farmers market, and love it plain on bread or crackers or with a bit of jelly. One of the kids favorite desserts is goat cheese on dried figs or dates, and it’s also great with nuts that have some spice to them. Yum…
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We eat a lot of different cheeses in our house, especially Brie and some of the more exotic European cheeses (mainly because they are so easy to buy here in England). I’m not great with all of them, my husband is braver than me, but I try them all and experiment with them in cooking as much as possible. I can’t manage to eat goat’s cheese at all, but I would love to try your recipe with feta – it looks delicious!
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The fancier stuff is great just eaten straight up! I love cheese. I live in Wisconsin – America’s Dairyland and all – so cheese was a staple for me for years, despite what it did to me. I’m dairy free now, so I don’t eat it anymore, but good cheese? Oh it’s to die for.
Don’t let it intimidate you! Experiment and enjoy. The best way to find out if you like something is to go to a high end cheese shop where they’ll let you taste before you buy. So much fun!
.-= Deanna´s last blog ..Kiddo Creations- Peanut Butter Waffles =-.
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Cheese is always big here. One child insists that cheddar is only yellow like the blocks I get from Costco. The other kids are more willing to try non-yellow cheeses. I’ve even snuck some fancy schmancy ones into homemade mac and cheese.
Personally, I love cheese. My favorites are brie and blue cheese.
The cabbage recipe looks good. I have everything except the cheese. I may try it anyway!
.-= Barb @ My Daily Round´s last blog ..moving furniture around =-.
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You know, our local foods delivery has goat cheese and I always skip over the option to add it in, even though I’m very curious. I think this salad might be the excuse I’ve been looking for to give it a try
thanks!
.-= Kara Fleck´s last blog ..Five Minutes for Mom =-.
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I just found your blog and had to say a quick hello, thank you, and amen! I stay at home with my sweet 14 month old, and have lately come to realize that I can minister to my family and any others God allows through my home and my time here. Thanks for giving such great recipes and reminders of how to continue doing this to the best of my ability!
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Katie,
Just the recipe I needed to use up that cabbage in the fridge! We love cabbage and I used a nice fresh head from the coop in a polish sausage with apples recipe!Yum! This salad sounds great, though! I only have feta on hand…what do you think? Purple cabbage salad w/ feta? We’ll see!
Blessings to you!
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Katie Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:15 am
Num! Feta was the original, anyway…
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What a lovely combination!
.-= Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen´s last blog ..Pairing is Caring – Boloco- Burlington- Vermont =-.
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I LOVE trying new cheeses!! Just wish they weren’t so expensive. We had goat brie the other day.
.-= Alison @ Hospitality Haven´s last blog ..A New Direction- The Mailman Family =-.
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This sounds yummy! I have some fresh-homemade feta that I can use to make this. Thanks for the recipe!
.-= Tiffany@ The Coconut Mama´s last blog ..SPROUTED AMARANTH TORTILLAS =-.
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Mmm, am definately goin to try that recipe. I love cheese of all kinds (even the stinky french ones), I have a red cabbage salad recipe with blue cheese, orange zest and toasted walnuts that’s to die for. I add fried Haloumi to spinach salads for lunch several times a week. Wrap boneless chicken thighs around slices of brie with cranberry sauce and tie the whole thing in a slice of proscuitto. Here in Australia we have a beautiful cheese that’s infused with wasabi, another of my favourite ingrediants and devine with dates.
I have many many ways that I use cheese and probably eat it everyday. Experiment away and you will be rewarded
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The stinkier the better
Goat cheese is nice and mild – this looks like an AWESOME recipe!
.-= Jen @ BigBinder´s last blog ..Day of Hope – August 19 =-.
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Katie Reply:
September 4th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
I remembered the name of the stinky cheese when I was telling the story to family today – it’s “Chaumes” for all of you who LIKE stinky. Not I, friend, not I.
Katie
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Hand-crafted raw cheese from pastured animals is amazing! Check out these recipes from Redwood Hill farm, a goat dairy in California that makes outstanding goat cheese. http://www.redwoodhill.com/search?blockproduct-type=41&blockmeal-type=&go.x=17&go.y=9&go=GO
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Just tried this minus the cheese (just too expensive although I looove goat cheese), and oh my goodness! AMAZING! Thank you for adding some variety to my salad repertoire
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