Savory Goat Cheese Cakes

Perhaps because I am on the small side of the weight spectrum, or maybe because I adore small things and small meals, little bites of goodness often make their way to my dining table and I never seem to tire of such delights. Whether it be grain patties, legume cakes or koftas, or — in this instance — a savory fried goat cheese round, it's my idea of comfort food. Serve these soft creamy and tangy goat cheese cakes with a golden brown crispy outside as an appetizer or even as a side alongside dinner. For a light dinner, I served them up with marinated mushrooms. You might also consider making up a salsa sauce to go with them or this spicy sun-dried tomato paste.

Savory Goat Cheese Cakes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on February 8, 2014 Simple soft tangy goat cheese cakes with a golden crispy outside Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 16 oz (450 g) package soft unripened goat cheese, chilled 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper 1 large egg 1/2 cup spelt or all-purpose flour oil for frying Instructions: Line a plate with waxed paper. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, cayenne, red pepper flakes, parsley, basil, salt and black pepper. Beat the egg in small bowl. Put the flour in a small bowl or on a plate. Using a sharp knife, cut the goat cheese into 3/4-inch thick rounds. Coat a piece of goat cheese with flour, shaping as necessary so you have a small patty or cake. Next, brush the patty with beaten egg and then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Transfer to the lined plate and repeat for the rest of the cheese. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In a large non-stick skillet, heat a few teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cakes to the pan (you may need to do this in batches, depending on how many rounds you are frying and the size of your pan). Fry until each patty is browned on the bottom — about 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and fry for another minute or two until both sides are browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Makes 8 small cakes or 4 servings

More goat cheese delights from my kitchen:
Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes
Tomato and Goat Cheese Crustless Quiche
Pasta and Goat Cheese Casserole with Black Olives
Spicy Goat Cheese Olive Balls

On the top of the reading stack: Selected stories of Willa Cather

Audio accompaniment: Nicolas Bacher