Crostini with Goat Cheese and Moro Blood Orange & Black Pepper Marmalade
Whether you are entertaining or just enjoying an evening in front of the TV, this is a delicious appetizer or finger food to wake up your taste buds with vibrant flavor. Beautifully fragrant Moro blood oranges and the bite of black pepper combine in a delicious marmalade that perfectly complements creamy goat cheese. You can also whip up a batch to have on hand for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese room temperature
- 4 Moro blood oranges
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- fresh lemon juice to taste
- 18 slices 1/2-inch-thick, French baguette toasted
Instructions
- Grate the peel from 1 of the Moro blood oranges. Take 1 teaspoon and combine it with the goat cheese in a bowl.
- Use a sharp knife to zest the remaining 3 blood oranges, taking care to cut only the orange part of the peel and avoid the bitter white pitch.
- Cut the peel into small pieces and add to a saucepan.
- Now, cut away as much of the white pith as you can from all 4 blood oranges. Do it over a bowl to catch any juice that runs off.
- Once the pitch has been removed, cut between the membranes to release all the flesh from the oranges. Squeeze any juice that clings to the membranes into the bowl, and then discard the membranes.
- Chop the blood orange flesh into small chunks and add to the saucepan along with any juice collected along the way.
- Stir in the honey and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
- Turn the heat under the saucepan to a medium high setting and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The marmalade should thicken and reduce to about 1/2 cup.
- Turn off the heat and allow the marmalade to cool. Season with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a little more black pepper to taste.
- To assemble, spread the goat cheese onto toasted slices of baguette and then top with marmalade.
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