Chèvre Gratin

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Chèvre Gratin

 

Recipe By : California Home Cooking by Michele Anna Jordan

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Appetizers Sda-Veg-Recipes2 (AT) Egroups (DOT) Com

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic -- minced

8 ounces young (not aged) chèvre

4 tablespoons mince dherbs, such as oregano, thyme -- basil or Italian

parsley, or a combination

2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (recipe follows) or -- 2 cups chopped

fresh tomatoes

1 cup oil-cured or salt-cured black olives

Sprigs of herbs, for garnish

Baguette slices, croutons, or warm -- country-style

bread

Basic Tomato Sauce

5 pounds ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded -- and diced

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 yellow onions -- minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

5 basil leaves minced

2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley leaves

Kosher salt

Black pepper in a mill

1 tablespoon sugar -- optional

 

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic,

and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

 

Preheat an oven broiler. Break the cheese into chunks and divide it among 4

4-ounce ramekins, or spread the chunks over the surface of a large, shallow

baking dish. Scatter the mince herbs over the cheese, and spoon the tomato sauce

or tomatoes into the ramekins or baking dish. Top each portion with some of the

olive oil and garlic, and divide the olives among the portions.

 

Place the ramekins or baking dish under the broiler until the cheese is melted,

about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the gratin from the oven, and garnish with the herb

sprigs. Serve immediately, with baguettes, croutons, or bread.

 

Basic Tomato Sauce:

Bring the tomatoes to a boil in a large nonreactive pot over medium heat. Reduce

the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to a fine strainer

lined with cheesecloth. Let the excess liquid drain for 10 minutes; reserve the

liquid for another use. Return the drained tomato pulp to the pot, add the bay

leaf, and simmer over low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.

 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the

onions, and sauté them until they are very soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes.

Add the garlic, basil, and parsley, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove the bay

leaf from the cooked tomato pulp, discard it, and stir the pulp into the onion

mixture. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce it too

acidic or a little flat, add the sugar and return the sauce to the heat for 3

minutes more. For a completely smooth sauce, pass it through a food mill. This

sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week. I can also be frozen or canned.

 

Variation:

For golden tomato sauce, use gold or yellow tomatoes in place of red ones. Omit

the bay leaf and garlic. Use butter in place of the olive oil, and 1 large

shallot, minced in place of the yellow onion.

 

 

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