Recipe: Rosemary Lemon Chêvre

For mad scientists who keep brains in jars, here's a tip: why not add a slice of lemon to each jar, for freshness? – Jack Handy

Brains...brains... Uh, I mean chêvre...

No, this isn’t a recipe for preserved brains, but now that it’s been mentioned…. Or if you want your kids to help you just tell them the chêvre is "brains"...

But seriously, if you’re still looking for some slots to fill with homemade gifts this Christmas look no further. Here’s a recipe that is extremely easy and extremely impressive looking. A little work looks very “intensive,” shall we say…

Beautiful layers of yellow, white and green.

First you have to make chêvre… Yeah – I hear you all now, but it’s really EASY!!! Basically you take 1 L full fat goat milk, heat it to 185°F, add the juice of a lemon, stir it in gently and sit back. How hard is that?

What happens is the curd separates from the whey. Strain out the whey, knead in some salt and you’re done. I understand goat milk can be a little expensive. I actually found some marked down 50% off its regular price because it was nearing expiration date. 

I routinely look at the Superstore for marked down “health products.” Discounted goat milk can be found quite often, at least here in Halifax. So can kéfir, and some other items in their "organics" section.

If you want full directions on how to make chêvre I do have them on my blog. Look here. You’ll see that they’re pretty much what I outlined above.

So then the next steps. You need a lemon, some rosemary and olive oil, plus two 250ml sterile jars. Here’s how it’s done….

Rosemary Lemon Chêvre

Makes 2 x 250 ml Mason jars

1 L full fat goat milk

2 lemons

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 sprigs rosemary

I had to go buy 12 jars. Who know's what I'll put in the
other ten...

Make the chêvre first. (milk and 1 lemon) See the directions here. It’s easy and only takes about 1/2 hour.

Sterilize the jars and tops. Wash and pat dry the rosemary sprigs.

Divide the chêvre into two balls. Flatten to the size that will fit into the Mason jars.

Slice the lemon into four even 1/4” slices. Place 1 slice in the bottom of each jar. Top with the chêvre. Flatten out a little if necessary. Twist one stalk of rosemary on top of each of the chêvre disks and finish with another lemon slice.

Heat the 1 cup of oil in a saucepan until some water sprinkled on top sizzles away quickly.

Pour the hot oil into the jars, ensuring it goes down the sides to completely immerse the lemon, cheese and rosemary.

Close the jars and refrigerate. Within 2 weeks the flavours will have permeated the cheese. 

See, impressive looking but oh so easy….

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