Winter storms come and go and despite the flooding, mudslides, and traffic incidents – let’s face it we have been experiencing a serious drought here and need the rain. The driving rain plays havoc on my citrus trees, bringing to the ground lemons & oranges that often do not weather the fall. Anytime there is a bit of a break in the storm, I run out and rescue the fallen citrus. What do you do when you have an abundance of easily gathered citrus – well prepare something of course.
Crostini with Lemon & Sheep’s Milk Cheese is a recipe that came out of the driving rains we have been experiencing. Elegant, simple to prepare and offering a complex balance of flavor; crostini at its finest. Quality ingredients are the key in this dish.
The acid of the lemon is nicely complimented by a bit of local honey, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Any semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese would pair wonderfully with the lightly marinated lemon segments, but I had my sights set on a Brigante from Sardinia. This young cheese is mild in flavor with a creamy texture and some citrus undertones. A fragrant mint leaf adds an herbal aroma and color to awaken the senses.
The ingredients are staples in most kitchens, and to be honest I for one always have quality bread in my freezer to pull out for any number of reasons.
Crostini with Lemon & Sheep’s Milk Cheese make the ideal early evening spuntino with a chilled glass of Prosecco or Trento DOC. Certainly don’t wait for guests, you deserve to enjoy these right now.
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- 1 medium-large organic lemon, washed well and dry
- 16 washed & dry fresh mint leaves, in pristine condition
- 2 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbs. local honey
- Finely ground sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A piece of semi soft sheep milk cheese, such as Brigante from Sardinia - sliced as thinly as possible
- Baguette, sliced on the diagonal to have 16½ to ¾ inch slices, lightly toasted on both sides under the broiler
- Slice the lemon in half lengthwise and then slice each half into three equal lengths. Thinly slice the lengths and place them in a small mixing bowl.
- Add the honey, olive oil, salt and pepper and give the lemon a good gentle stir. Allow the lemons to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Arrange the toasted baguette slices on a serving tray and spoon just a bit of the liquid from the marinated lemons onto each slice. Layer a few lemon slices onto each of the baguette pieces, followed by a mint leave and topped with a slice of the cheese. Serve immediately with a glass of Prosecco or Trento DOC.
I love Brigante cheese and I would have never thought to pair it with lemon. I only have one dwarf lemon tree but I walked out back after a recent storm and and found 20 lemons on the ground!
The balance of the Brigante, lemon, and a touch of honey creates something special. These storms are both a blessing and a curse, I love the fact that I don’t have to reach so high but if you can’t get outside in time the lemons begin to decay. Thanks for stopping by Janie!