Goat-Cheese Gratin with Tarragon Toast

Name: Goat-Cheese Gratin with Tarragon Toast
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 shallot, chopped; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 1 (6-ounce) log fresh goat cheese, crumbled; 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped, or 1 cup of your favorite tomato, marinara, or pasta sauce; 15 kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted

December 9, 2011

Hot, bubbly cheese, buttery toast, and fresh snipped herbs are a captivating combination for a first course. Serve this in individual dishes for a more elegant presentation. In the summer, it is incredible with chopped fresh tomato. In the winter it takes on a completely different taste and feel topped with your favorite tomato sauce. Compound butters (see page 281) are flavored with herbs or spices. This recipe features tarragon butter, which is a classic French combination that makes this simple recipe taste spectacular. The flavoring possibilities for compound butters are vast: I once worked with a cowboy chef who made a compound butter for steak with freshly chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, and finely chopped jalapeño. Mix it up!

Recipe notes

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