English Pea & Goat Cheese Spread
Lively chèvre and fresh peas celebrate spring in this dip. Its simple preparation lends itself to light snacking before a meal; no one will head to the dinner table feeling too full. This recipe uses fresh peas, but previously frozen and thawed peas work well, too. We enjoy this best when served with chef Cortney Burns’s Seeded Buttermilk Crackers (below). However, any sturdy, robust cracker will do.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup fresh chèvre room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more to garnish
- 2 medium shallots minced
- 1 cup fresh English peas shelled
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 bunch green chard stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
- Onion flowers to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine chèvre, sour cream, onion powder, honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. If preparing in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one week.
- In a small sauté pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over low heat. Add shallots and cook until soft but not browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch peas for 20 seconds. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Mince blanched peas, transfer to a small bowl, and combine with cooked shallots, lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- In a medium sauté pan, heat remaining teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped chard and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature and salt to taste.
- TO SERVE: On a large platter, spread chèvre mixture over crackers. Top with chard, then pea mixture. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and onion flowers, if desired.
Kirstin Jackson
Kirstin Jackson is an Oakland, Calif.-based cheese and wine educator and the author of the book it's Not You, It's Brie: Unwrapping American Cheese Culture
