Baked Goat Cheese with Jalapeo Cherry Jam Recipe

Baked Goat Cheese with Jalapeo Cherry Jam

Recipe provided by Mary Berg

• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 6 to 8
• Nutritional Info per Serving (1 of 8): Calories 355, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Carbohydrates 60 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 57 g, Protein 8 g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Sodium 294 mg
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Active Time: 40 minutes

Indulge in the irresistible fusion of silky goat cheese and sweet-spicy Jalapeo Cherry Jama flavor explosion that will captivate your taste buds and elevate any gathering!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10.6 ounces (300 grams) soft goat cheese
• 1/2 cup (125 milliliters) Jalapeo Cherry Jam (recipe below)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sliced baguette, crostini, or crackers, for serving

Jalapeo Cherry Jam:

• 6 jalapeos, seeds removed
• 4 cups (about 600 grams) pitted sweet or sour cherries (see Cook's Note)
• 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 cups (350 to 450 grams) sugar
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil into an oven-proof dish and place the goat cheese inside. Keep it whole or spread it evenly. Drizzle the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil on top, then bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.
2. While warm, spoon the Jalapeo Cherry Jam over the cheese and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with baguette slices, crostini, or crackers for a showstopping appetizer.

Jalapeo Cherry Jam Preparation:

Yield: About 5 cups

1. Pulse the jalapeos in a food processor until finely chopped. Add cherries and pulse until coarsely chopped.
2. Transfer to a large saucepan. For sweet cherries, add 1 3/4 cups sugar; for sour, add 2 1/2 cups. Stir in apple cider vinegar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens as fruit and peppers break down, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, pour into sterilized jars leaving 1-inch headspace. Cool completely at room temperature before sealing and refrigerating.
5. Keeps in fridge up to 2 weeks or freeze in plastic containers up to 3 months to prevent breakage.

Cook's Note: If fresh cherries are unavailable, thaw frozen cherries overnight in the fridge and drain most liquid before using.