Goat Cheese with a Honey Orange Balsamic Reduction

The goat cheese mixture is served in endive leaves instead of the traditional cheese and crackers. You'll get a little bit of sweet from the fruit and honey and a little bit of tart from the balsamic vinegar.

Also plated here is a tomato bacon relish also served in endive leaves.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 12 mandarin orange slices, each cut into 3 pieces
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced

    Instructions:

    In a small bowl combine walnuts and 1 tablespoon honey, toss to coat all of the walnuts. Place the walnuts on a non stick baking sheet or line with parchment paper and roast at 350 for 8-10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Allow walnuts to cool, break apart. Add the cheese to the bowl with the walnuts and stir to combine.

    Meanwhile combine remaining 2 tablespoons honey, balsamic vinegar and orange juice in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until reduced by half. It will be a thick syrup.

    Separate out 12 endive leaves and place on serving plate. Top each with equal amounts of goat cheese mixture and three pieces of the mandarin orange. Drizzle the honey orange balsamic sauce over the top and serve on endive leaves.

    Cooking Wiser:

    Honey roasted walnuts are also great tossed into a salad

    Some research supports the theory that local honey may help build immunity to some seasonal allergies. Try it! Even if it doesn’t work it is a great sweetener.