Salads & Small Bites

Chevon Taco Salad

This is always a big hit at our Goat Schools. Our guests love the fresh taste and the wonderful layers!

serves 10 to 12

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound ground chevon

1 packet taco seasoning

1 bag tortilla chips

1 head iceberg lettuce

chopped and shredded

2 cups shredded cheese

4 or 5 Roma tomatoes

chopped

1 green bell pepper

chopped

1 small can sliced black olives

6 green onions

both green and white parts, chopped

one (16-ounce) bottle Catalina salad dressing

Melt the butter in a medium-size frying pan over medium heat. Fry the ground chevon until well done, then add the taco seasoning.

Break up the tortilla chips into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a large bowl, layer the lettuce, cooked chevon, 3/4 of the tortilla chips, cheese, tomatoes, green pepper, black olives, and finally the green onions. Pour the bottle of Catalina dressing over the top of the salad very carefully. Sprinkle with the remaining tortilla chips. Do not mix this salad.

Greens, Goat Cheese, and Vinaigrette

Fast, easy, impressive!

Serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 pint fresh blackberries

1/4 cup apple cider

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard

1/4 cup canola oil

8 ounces fresh greens

rinsed well, drained, and dried

4 ounces plain chevre

In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the walnuts and sauté lightly over medium heat. Set aside to cool.

Mash half of the blackberries with a fork. Add the cider, vinegar, mustard, and oil, and mix well. Then add the other half of the blackberries.

Place the greens in a large bowl and mix well with the vinaigrette. You can do this salad either in a large bowl or on individual salad plates.

Sprinkle the chevre on the salad mixture and garnish it with the walnuts.

Greens with Feta and Croutons

This is a fabulously easy salad with lots and lots of huge taste! Fresh spinach or any green mixture works great.

Serves 8 to 10

8 ounces fresh greens

rinsed well, drained, and dried

1 jar marinated Feta

1 cup croutons

Place the greens in a large bowl, pour the jar of marinated feta over the top and sprinkle with the croutons. Done!

Goat Ricotta and Pasta Salad

This is a great change for the usual humdrum macaroni salad! This recipe lends itself well to the addition of any freshly chopped herbs or raw veggies.

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound pasta

macaroni, zití, bowties, etc.

2 carrots

chopped

2 stalks celery

chopped

4 or 5 medium radishes

chopped

1 cucumber

seeded and chopped

2 green onions

both green and white parts, chopped

16 ounces goat ricotta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to the directions on its box to al dente. Rinse well in cold water and let cool.

Place the pasta in a large bowl and toss it with the carrots, celery, radishes, cucumber, and green onions.

Add the whole batch of freshly made, warm ricotta. Season the mixture with the salt and pepper.

Pico de Gallo with Feta

This salad is a huge hit everywhere I take it. I also sell this salad at farmers’ markets, and it’s a big hit!

Serves 6

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 ounces whole kernel corn cooked and cooled

one (16-ounce can) black beans

well drained

2 Roma tomatoes

chopped

1/2 medium-size red onion

chopped

3 garlic gloves

chopped really finely

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

6 to 8 ounces cubed goat feta

Mix the canola oil, white vinegar, sugar, lime juice, salt, cumin, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Mix the corn, beans, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and feta together very gently. Pour the dressing over this mixture and toss again, remember — gentle!

Chevre-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

These deviled eggs are highly addictive and very few people can eat just one!

Makes 24

12 hard-boiled eggs

8 ounces plain Chevre

1 tablespoon prepared brown mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons celery leaf

either fresh or dried

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

paprika

Peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove all of the yolks.

Place the yolks in a medium-size bowl with the chevre, mustard, mayonnaise, celery leaf, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Put this mixture in a large plastic bag. With scissors, cut a corner off the bag. Squeeze the mixture out of the small hole into the hollowed egg white. Garnish with a light sprinkle of paprika.

Goat Cheese and Honey Dip

Wildflower, raspberry, blueberry, or cranberry honey works great with this wonderful treat and if you make your own crackers, your guests enjoy this treat even more!

Serves 8

8 ounces plain Chevre

good-quality honey

culinary lavender

finely chopped

crackers

(see the Breads chapter for homemade crackers!)

Form the chevre into a round ball and make a well in the top of the ball. Fill the well with honey and sprinkle with the chopped lavender.

Serve with crackers.

Goat Cheese Crostini

This makes a great, simple appetizer. Use an electric knife — it will slice through the crusty baguette very easily and you will be able to get nice, thin slices!

makes 32

1 baguette

sliced very thin

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 cup Chevre

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons honey

Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until lightly browned. Be careful not to overcook them.

In a small non-stick frying pan, lightly toast the almonds.

Place the chevre in a small bowl with the rosemary and mix well. Spoon the chevre mixture over the toasted baguette slices, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with almonds.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

These can be grilled or cooked under the broiler. They are delicious both ways.

Serves 4

4 ripe, medium-size tomatoes

2 ounces goat feta

crumbled or finely chopped

or

2 ounces Queso Fresco

shredded

1/4 cup chopped olives

(black olives work the best)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and discard. Scoop out and finely chop all of the pulp. Combine the chopped pulp with the goat cheese, olives, parsley, and basil. Stuff this mixture into the scooped-out tomato shells.

If broiling, spray an eight-inch square pan with baking spray and place the stuffed tomatoes in it. Broil them approximately 2 minutes, or until the skin begins to blister and the stuffing is browned.

If grilling, spray the grill rack with baking spray before pre-heating the grill. Carefully place tomatoes on grill and cook until the skin begins to brown.

Mozzarella Grilled Mushrooms

A super-simple yet very elegant appetizer. They go fast!

Serves 4

12 grape or cherry tomatoes

halved or quartered, depending on their size

3 ounces fresh goat mozzarella balls

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves

minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 large Portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped basil

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss very lightly.

Spray your grill rack with cooking spray. Grill the mushrooms lightly over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until slightly tender.

Spoon the mozzarella mixture into each cap, and sprinkle lightly with the basil.

Turkey and Chevre Pinwheels

I made these appetizers for Goat School and they disappeared so fast, that I vowed next time I will at least triple the recipe!

Makes 30

8 ounces Chevre

1/2 cup mandarin oranges

drained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Three (12-inch) whole-wheat tortillas

1/2 pound sliced deli turkey

(smoked turkey is awesome!)

3 cups fresh baby spinach

washed and drained

2 green onions

green and white parts, chopped

Make sure the tortillas are at room temperature before you begin. In a medium bowl, mix the chevre, oranges, and curry powder. Spread 1/2 cup of the mixture over each tortilla. Place a layer of turkey over the cheese, then a layer of spinach, and finally the green onions. Roll up tightly and wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 2 hours until they firm up.

Unwrap the rolls and slice immediately. Each can be cut into 10 slices.

Zucchini Mini Quiches

These mini quiches are easily reheated in the oven and taste just as good! I often make them ahead of time for church suppers and re-heat them at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Warning: Highly addictive!

Makes 24

1 pie crust (sidebar)

Or you can cheat and use the ready-to-bake pie crust from your supermarket

1 cup grated zucchini

(I chop it up after to make sure it’s really fine. Keep the skin on, but remove seeds.)

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup cooked bacon

crumbled well

1 clove garlic

finely chopped

1/4 cup green onions

green and white parts, chopped

1/2 cup goat milk

2 eggs

beaten

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pie crust into a rectangle. Cut twenty-four 3-inch circles out of the dough. Press the circles into mini cupcake pans. Mix the zucchini, mushrooms, bacon, garlic, green onions, milk, eggs, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper together in a medium-size bowl. Fill each dough lined muffin cup with the filling.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light brown and puffed. Cool in the pans. Remove carefully. Serve these heavenly tidbits warm.