Trio of Marinated Goat Cheeses

Delicious served with bread or crackers, these cheeses are also a wonderful addition to pizzas, pastas and salads. *Dried porcini are available at Italian markets and specialty foods stores. Cut goat cheese into twelve 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Set rounds aside. For tomato and garlic goat cheese: Preheat oven to 350F. Place garlic in heavy small pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until garlic is tender when pierced with small sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly; peel garlic cloves. Reserve oil in pan. Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Let tomatoes stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain; pat dry. Put 1 tomato, 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig each rosemary and thyme in bottom of 8-ounce jar. Drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil reserved from garlic. Place 1 cheese round atop herbs. Drizzle with more reserved olive oil. Repeat layering, using remaining tomatoes, garlic, herbs, garlic oil and 3 more cheese rounds. Pour in enough olive oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; refrigerate.) For porcini mushroom goat cheese: Rinse mushrooms briefly with cold water; drain. Place mushrooms in small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover and let stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy small skillet. Add garlic and saute until just golden, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until just heated through, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Mix in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely. Layer mushrooms, olive oil and 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, beginning and ending with mushrooms. Pour in enough oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.) For walnut goat cheese: Preheat oven to 350F. Place walnuts on small cookie sheet. Toast until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Finely chop walnuts. Layer walnuts, walnut oil and remaining 4 goat cheese rounds in 8-ounce jar, seasoning each layer generously with pepper. Pour in enough walnut oil to fill jar completely. Seal tightly. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate.) Makes three 8-ounce jars Bon App?tit December 1990 Posted to recipelu-digest by Sandy <sandysno@pctech.net> on Feb 24, 1998