Goat Cheese

The pleasant bite of goat cheese contrasts deliciously with the smooth sweetness of potatoes.

Look for tomatillo salsa shelved near the standard tomato-based salsas. It’s a nice change of pace for serving with tortilla specialties.

Soft goat cheese is a splendid spread for wraps, with a special affinity for red peppers.

Here’s a simple way to say “happy spring.” Do try this with goat cheese—the contrast of its slight bite and the mild flavor of asparagus is tantalizing.

An exercise in elegant simplicity, this salad makes a delicious contribution to a buffet of room-temperature dishes for company.

I’m not one to eat pears out of hand, but I like them—slightly underripe—in salads. Contrasted with the pleasant bite of goat cheese and the sweetness of dried cranberries, this salad is a party for the palate.

A few choice ingredients contribute to this elegant potato salad. If you like goat cheese, you’ll love this one.

A hefty salad like this one can easily share center stage with a grain or pasta dish as shown in the menus for Bulgur with Cabbage and Green Beans (page 109) and Summer Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes (page 64).

The Green Goddess dressing is also terrific on salad or as a dip for crudités. It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator stored in a jar or airtight container.

The flavor of peas and bacon takes me back to my childhood; that’s why I like this pasta dish so much. I feel like a little kid wolfing this down. It’s even good cold!

For pizza lovers, here are eight varieties to choose from. The basic dough makes two pizzas. The dough is easy to mix in the food processor.

The bite-size sweet red peppers in this recipe are a tasty, low-cal vehicle for delicious cheese; plus, their mild heat can help warm you up from the inside out as the temperature begins to drop.

Smear the bread with mayo on both sides and then grill in butter for the ultimate golden-brown crunch.

Sweet-tart roasted Michigan cherries are balanced by pure, tangy goat cheese. Like a cherry cheesecake, but better. Goat Cheese Ice Cream pairs with many fruits, but we make it two ways: roasted red cherries go into our spring and summer versions, and in the fall we switch to Cognac figs. The cherry or fig compote can also be served on top of the ice cream, rather than layered into it. The combination of these flavors reminds me of the center of a cheese Danish. Roasted red cherries burst with concentrated sweet cherry flavor. As for the goat cheese, find a fresh, locally prepared cheese if you can; it will be the most flavorful and have the cleanest finish. Jean Mackenzie, who supplies out goat cheese, makes some of the best I have ever had. Pairs well with: Chocolate. Ice wine. Toasted hazelnuts.

At sunset throughout Palestine during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan you will find vendors with hot plates lining the streets preparing these flat cakes. They are made in many different ways; this version is filled with cheese and nuts and then fried. Instead of the syrup, you can also top the cakes with cinnamon sugar.

These versatile treats make fabulous hors d’oeuvres or a great breakfast on the run. They are so portable that they pack equally well for picnics, the office, and school lunches.

Dried porcini give this vinaigrette a huge boost of flavor and marry beautifully with the asparagus and goat cheese for a spring-like first course. Serve this dish with sharp knives (like steak knives) so the toast and asparagus cut easily. For more seasonal recipes, download the free Gourmet Live app and stay tuned to the Gourmet Live blog for the latest updates.