Recipe from chef Ana Sortun

- Chef Q & A: Ana Sortun

- Recommendations: Ana Sortun

- Recipe: Spoon Lamb

- Recipe: Pickled Mushrooms

- Recipe: Pomegranate Spoon Salad

- Recipe: Red Lentil Kofte

- Recipe: Syrian Spice Mix

- Recipe: Syrian Spiced Feta Salad

- Recipe: Moroccan Style Beets

- Recipe: Hot Pepper Labne

Baked Goat Cheese with Butternut Squash Broth and Pickled Mushrooms

Recipe courtesy of chef Ana Sortun

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

- 6 ounces soft, fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Broth (makes 8 to 10 cups)

- 1 cup of peeled butternut squash, roughly chopped

- 1 bay leaf

- 4 dried apricots or 1/2 golden rasins

- 8 cups of water

- 1 roughly chopped leek

- 1 rib roughly chopped celery

- 1 tablespoon harissa

- 2 cloves garlic

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Directions

1. Place butternut squash  in a large soup pot and cover with water. 

2. Add the leek, bay leaf, garlic, dried apricot, and celery and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the squash is tender. 

3. Season the broth with salt.  

4. Allow the broth to cool slightly, remove the bay leaf and blend in a blender until smooth. 

5. Slowly incorporate olive oil, harissa, and vinegar.

6. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the goat cheese into a baking dish and top with broth.

7. Bake until bubbly.

8. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with pickled mushrooms and toast.

- Moroccan Style Beets

- Spoon Lamb

- Pickled Mushrooms

- Pomegranate Spoon Salad

- Red Lentil Kofte

- Syrian Spice Mix

- Syrian Spiced Feta Salad

- Recipe: Hot Pepper Labne

RECIPES

Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

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