Garlic Goat Cheese Spread

I am so happy to have found this little cookbook once again! I've been missing this excellent goat cheese recipe, and honestly just calling it "garlic goat cheese" doesn't do it justice: it is a heavenly blend of roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. I just love it.

The recipe comes from a cute, garlic-shaped cookbook called The Totally Garlic Cookbook. So tiny that I feared it was lost forever...but suddenly it turned up! Wahoo! Wonderful on thin baguette slices! Oh so delicious.

Now that my little cookbook gem is back, I'm eager to try more of the garlic recipes...stay tuned!

Garlic Goat Cheese Spread
Serves about 6

What could be more Californian than goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic--combined in one powerful little spread.

1 garlic head, top trimmed
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
11 ounces soft goat cheese
1 baguette, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
Nicoise or Kalamata olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place garlic on square of aluminum foil. Drizzle generously with some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Seal foil and bake 1 hour.

When cool enough to handle, squeeze pulp from garlic. Place in bowl with tomatoes and basil. Mash with fork to blend. Crumble cheese over mixture and stir until well blended. Place in small serving bowl (my favorite way) or gather into a ball and form into log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.

To serve, slice cheese into rounds and arrange on platter with baguette slices. (I just get out my cute little canapé knives and arrange baguette slices around the serving bowl). Garnish with basil leaves and olives.