Marinated Olives & Goat Cheese with Garlic Crostini
I made this appetizer of marinated olives & goat cheese with garlic crostini when I served a light dinner recently. I loved the idea of marinating the olives in some really good olive oil, garlic slivers, lemon peel, crushed red pepper flakes, and herbs de Provence and serving them with warm garlic rubbed crostini. The marinated olives gave a nice salty touch to the goat cheese and the seasoned olive oil was wonderful drizzled over the garlic crostini that was slathered in goat cheese & olive pieces. We all really enjoyed this appetizer, especially my daughter who couldn’t get enough of the goat cheese & crostini.
How to Make Marinated Olives & Goat Cheese with Garlic Crostini
Heat the olive oil, garlic slices, lemon peels, and herbs de Provence over low heat in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the garlic is just starting to turn golden. Cook it low and slow – don’t burn the oil or garlic!
Remove from the heat and pour over the olives in a shallow bowl. Allow them to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Slice a baguette (or two small ones) into thin slices. Place on a baking sheet and into the oven for 5-7 minutes. Flip over and continue to bake for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately rub the hot slices of crostini with the halved garlic cloves cut side down. Repeat with remaining crostini and garlic halves.
When ready to serve, pour the olives and oil over the goat cheese in a shallow bowl and allow to sit for 7-10 minutes. Top with lots of fresh cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately with the warm garlic crostini. Enjoy.
Ingredients
Marinated Olives & Goat Cheese:
- ½ cup Castelvetrano green olives, pitted & some halved lengthwise
- 3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
- 3 lemon peels from 1 lemon *Use a vegetable peeler
- 1 clove of garlic, sliced thinly
- ¼ tsp herbs de Provence
- 4 oz round of goat cheese
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Garlic Crostini:
- 1 baguette, sliced thinly
- 1 large clove of garlic
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil, garlic slices, lemon peels, and herbs de Provence over low heat in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the garlic is just starting to turn golden. Cook it low and slow - don't burn the oil or garlic.
- Remove from the heat and pour over the olives in a shallow bowl. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice a baguette (or two small ones) into thin slices.
- Place on a baking sheet and into the oven for 5-7 minutes. Flip over and continue to bake for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately rub the hot slices of crostini with the halved garlic cloves cut side down. Repeat with remaining crostini and garlic halves.
- When ready to serve, pour the olives and oil over the goat cheese in a shallow bowl and allow to sit for 7-10 minutes.
- Top with sea salt and lots of fresh cracked black pepper, to taste & a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately with the warm garlic crostini. Enjoy.
A great and delicious appetizer, with that Mediterranean footprint. They say it is the best diet in the world, the one we enjoy in these places, the area that bathes us this sea that gives us life.
thank you so much for your recipes…..
Regards from “Mi Cocina”
What a mouthwatering appetizer! Those green olives are amazing too.
I know I would love this! I don’t get to eat enough olives because my husband doesn’t like them. In this case…MORE FOR ME.
Olives and cheese both make great appetizers. Super idea to put them together in one dish! This looks really good — thanks.
Perfect appetizer. Love the combination of ingredients you used.