Marinated Cheese Rounds with Whole Spices

Goat cheese is no longer the trendy dairy avatar that it was in the 1980s, but it deserves to be rediscovered. The fresh cheese can be chalky, but in this recipe, the rounds are softened in olive oil for a week, giving them a lush, spreadable texture. Cheese and oil both absorb the taste of bay leaf, black pepper, rosemary and lemon, and the pink peppercorns add crunch, perfume and festive color.

Ingredients

• 6 small goat cheeses, 2 to 3 ounces each, or 1 log goat cheese, 10 to 12 ounces, cut into 6 pieces
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 large sprig rosemary, cut into 6 pieces, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 or 3 bay leaves
• 2 or 3 strips lemon peel
• 2 to 3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 or 3 wide-mouth 1-pint or 1/2-liter jars

Two or three jars

Preparation

1. Divide the cheeses between the jars. (It’s not necessary for them to rest on the bottom.)
2. Divide the coriander, peppercorns, herbs and lemon peel on top of the cheeses. Gently pour in olive oil to fill the jars.
3. Close the jars tightly and refrigerate for about a week before serving.
4. Store in the refrigerator for up to two months. Serve the cheeses with toasts, crackers or salad. When the cheeses are gone, use the remaining oil in vinaigrettes.

20 minutes