Goat Cheese and Apricot Tartine

Chef Kelly Cattani

Bluestone Cottage

Chef Kelly uses fresh seasonal ingredients to achieve vibrantly flavoured and nutrient dense foods.

Ingredients

crostini pieces 

Whipped Goat Cheese

2 cups plain goat cheese 

1/2 cup whipping cream

pinch of salt 

Apricot Compote

2 cups dried apricots

1 cup apricot jam 

1 1/2 cups boiling water 

2 Tbsp brandy

1 lemon 

pinch salt

Pickled Shallots

1 shallot, peeled and sliced very thin

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt 

Garnish

fresh Italian parsley, leaves picked for garnish 

olive oil 

fresh cracked pepper

Method

Whipped Goat Cheese

1. In standing mixer bowl, blend cheese and whipping cream until soft and smooth. 
2. Let the mixer run an extra few minutes to add air (for spreadability). Season with a pinch of salt. 

Apricot Compote

1. Place the apricots in a heat proof bowl and pour over the boiling water. 
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to cool for 30 minutes. 
3. Once cool enough to work with, the apricots will be re-hydrated. 
4. Strain and reserve the liquid. 
5. Chop the apricots lengthwise into 3 or 4 strips per apricot. 
6. Place the jam in the heat proof bowl and slowly add the reserved warm liquid to it, whisking while you pour. 
7. The jam should thin out to a glaze like texture. You can use your own discretion on how much soaking liquid to add to get a nice final texture. 
8. Add the brandy and squeeze the lemon juice through a small strainer into the gel. 
9. Fold in the chopped apricots. 
10. Season with a small pinch of salt. 
11. Place in a container and refrigerate until needed.

Pickled Shallots

1. Heat the vinegar, salt and sugar together in a small saucepan, bringing to a boil to dissolve.
2. Remove it from the heat and add the sliced shallot. 
3. Transfer to a heatproof jar and seal it. 
4. Put it into the fridge to ‘quick pickle’.

Assembly

1. Working on a cutting board or baking tray lay out one dozen crostini. 
2. Use a spoon to smear a small mountain of whipped goat cheese onto one crostini. 
3. Make a small depression in one end and fill it with the apricot compote. 
4. Strain the pickled shallot.
5. Garnish each crostini with a piece of pickled shallot and a leaf of Italian parsley. 
6. Drizzle canapés with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper. 
7. Transfer them to a serving platter and present.

Yield 1 dozen