There's nothing more impressive than a cheese plate - but the best way to step up your appetizer skills is to marinate some of your cheeses. Using fresh herbs, some spices, a hearty glug of olive oil and some salt and pepper can change the game forever.
These marinated cheeses make impressive stand-alone appetizers or you can make several kinds and show off an incredible spread of cheese, herbs and olive oil. You can incorporate them into sandwiches, pasta or anything else that can be improved with cheese (everything!). Incorporate them into a cheese board and you'll see - the first section of the board to be completely empty will be the area where the marinated cheese once stood.
These dishes are visually stunning with the neutral-colored cheeses as a perfect backdrop for bright herbs, oils and olives. Don't hold back. Use your instincts to experiment with this fail-safe formula and you'll find your own signature marinated cheese dish in no time.
Honey and Thyme Marinated Halloumi: Halloumi is the perfect cheese to sear because its high melting point means that it'll crisp up before it melts. Adding a honey and thyme marinade to this delicious, supersalty, briny cheese is the perfect way to wow even the most discerning guests.
Herb-Marinated Feta In A Jar: This gorgeous dish is the perfect edible gift or a stunning centerpiece (since the best centerpieces are the ones you can eat!). Serve with pita bread or crackers, also drizzled with olive oil, of course.
Herbed Goat Cheese: Goat cheese has been appetizer-fodder since the beginning of its massive popularity in the early 2000s, but mixing it with fresh basil, thyme and chives is, by far, the best way to serve it. The bright herbs balance out the cheese's funkiness and make it even more deliciously spreadable.
Garlic and Herb Bocconcini: Even if you have the self-control of a saint, it'll be nearly impossible to not eat a bowl of these little balls of cheesy, garlicky, herby joy as if it were a bowl of popcorn.
Spicy Herbed Mozzarella: This is the time to buy good, fresh mozzarella. Slice it up into into wide, thick circles and let it marinate with the olive oil, chili flakes and herbs. Put it on a sandwich, eat it with crackers, melt it on pizza - there's no wrong place to put it.