Christmas

Goat Cheese with Tangy Clementine Jam and Fresh Thyme (Appetizer)

December  1, 2013
4.8
4 Ratings
  • Serves 4 to 8
Author Notes

Sweet and hot, sour and pungent. This light and easy-to-make hors d’oeuvre combines the citrus aroma of clementines with the hotness of a chili pepper, plus mild, pungent fresh thyme and the creamy, tart, and mild sourness of fresh goat cheese. The cheese's sharpness quickly vanishes in the calming freshness and sweetness of the citrus fruit.
It can be served on farmer’s bread bites or baguette slices. It’s an amazing companion to sparkling wine and Sauvignon Blanc.
This recipe was invented on a rainy Sunday afternoon, when I found out I had by mistake bought mandarins instead of oranges. Warning: The jam is highly addictive.
Cookingly Yours

Test Kitchen Notes

I really like clementines. (When I was pregnant with my daughter, I ate most of my father-in-law's crop of Satsumas!) But I rarely find a recipe using clementines that tastes as good as the fruit peeled and eaten in segments. THIS IS IT! Clementines are easy to peel, and I scraped off the stringy white stuff with the sharp side of a paring knife, then cut the zest into thin shreds. The jam cooked up quickly and the flavor balance was perfect. It would also pair well with a fresh cream cheese or an aged Gouda. Everyone wished there were more -- double the recipe when you make it! —luvcookbooks

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Ingredients
  • 1 mini log goat cheese (110 grams)
  • 3 pieces medium clementines (or other mandarin oranges)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
  • 1/3 medium-sized hot chili pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 3 slices farmer's bread
Directions
  1. Wash and pat dry the clementines.
  2. Shred the clementine peel with a shredder or peeler.
  3. Squeeze the clementines and pass the juice through a sieve.
  4. Chop the thyme and the hot chili pepper.
  5. In a small skillet, add clementine juice and peel, thyme, chili pepper, and sugar, and stir well.
  6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let it shimmer for 5 minutes.
  7. Dissolve cornstarch into the water, add it to the skillet, and stir. It will take 2 to 3 minutes for the clementine juice to thicken.
  8. Remove from heat and let cool.
  9. Cut the bread slices into bites and the goat cheese into slices.
  10. Arrange each goat cheese slice on a bit of bread and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the clementine jam on top.
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10 Reviews

Cookingly Y. January 11, 2014
Thanks Food52Review for the ...review! Really appreciated!
Cookingly Y. January 11, 2014
Thanks luvcookbooks :) to tell you the truth my quantities are small because I don't like leftovers.
tanteilonka December 27, 2013
Also - goat cheese a little boring, a little dry. This went well with triple cream blue; more flavor, better consistency.
Cookingly Y. January 2, 2014
I used fresh goat cheese which is creamy and soft. Of course, it's a matter of taste.
tanteilonka December 27, 2013
Good idea in theory but disappointing. Make a few days in advance for flavors to blend; needed more herbs and spice. Determine amount of pepper (I used serrano) by tasting first - temp will vary. Juice was a pain to extract; I think store-bought clementine juice with some freshly grated zest (not shredded) would be better.
Cookingly Y. January 2, 2014
sorry to hear recipe didn't meet your expectations, but hot chili is a matter of taste. Further,I never buy store-bought juices when I can do them at home. For me it was lighter than squeeze oranges lol And grate clementine zest does not work very well as it is very thin and lot of the bitter white skin goes out with the zest.
luvcookbooks January 2, 2014
This is such a great recipe! I tested it once and can't wait to make it again. I agree that different cheeses can be fun to try and the seasonings can be played with but I wish there were more positive ways of saying that! This is such an original idea (to me) and so quick to make. Hats off to you, Cookingly Yours, for coming up with the idea and also responding nicely to the comments.
luvcookbooks January 2, 2014
Also, I thought it was super easy to juice the clementines and it doesn't take long to shred the peels. I'm interested in hearing how it goes with other techniques...
Cookingly Y. January 3, 2014
thank you so much luvcookbooks.
Cookingly Y. January 3, 2014
I think also squeezing the clementines is super easy. I'd recommend 'use oranges' for those who have difficulties, but then that's another taste :)