Making Herb Goat Cheese Spread
Here again there are so many variables on how to make herb cheese spread. Some recipes call for cream cheese and others yogurt. Some have heavy cream and others don't. The only suggestion I can make is try them all! That way you will be able to decide which you like the best. This is one that I just added together what I had around the house and garden and hoped for the best. There is no specific measurements as it is just a little of this and a little of that - as that is all I had :)
First start with Cheese
As I have conveniently just made a good sized batch of cheese about just over a cup - I couldn't get it much fresher than that! If you do not have the fresh chevre cheese you can buy some from the store - it usually comes in logs or blocks but be for warned as it can be expensive. I have seen a small 4 oz package costing more than $5.00!
Collect the Herbs
I am lucky enough to have many fresh herbs in my garden in the summer and going outside I can collect basil, chives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and parsley. For this batch I have opted to stay with basil, chives, parsley and a bit of thyme. I didn't have a lot of the parsley or basil, I would say less than a tablespoon of each. They thyme was less than 1/4 teaspoon but and the chives was between 2 and 3 Tablespoons. I also add garlic which if I don't have fresh I use some powder. Chop all these finely making sure there are no stems as no one likes woody bits in there spread!
Mixing it all up
I used my Mixer to combine all the ingredients, I probably should use my food processor as it would combine everything into a very smooth , but didn't feel like dragging it out as right now I don't have the counter space for it. So I used the whisk attachment and whisked the cheese, the herbs as well as 2 Tablespoons of plain yogurt. I use yogurt instead of cream cheese as I make my own and always have it on hand. You will also need 2 to 3 Tablespoons of Olive oil. I add this last while the mixer is running as you are adding this until the right consistency is reached. So I add a bit at a time allowing the mixture to combine before adding more. As you make this more and more you will be able to determine when it is the correct texture for you. Then just let it mix on a higher speed until well blended. Put it in a container or bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so all ingredients can blend well. Then serve as you like! Spread will be good for about a week if kept refrigerated.
The results are amazing and can be different every time! Sometimes I mix more garlic in other times more chives. I even add a bit of sun dried tomatoes in it if I have some. The beauty of this simple recipe is that it can be adjusted any way you want it to be - use scallions instead of chives, use honey to make it sweet, hot peppers to make it spicy! Serve it on Wasa bread, crackers, bagels, as a dip for fresh vegetables or on a sliced baguette! Most of all just enjoy it - it is homemade by you and can be made in as little as 10 minutes!