It wasn’t so long ago that eating goat cheese would mark you as someone with either a) culinary pretensions or b) a constitutional intolerance for cow’s milk. It wasn’t so long ago that eating goat cheese would have also meant a trip to a specialty-cheese emporium or health-food store. Nowadays, however, eating goat cheese marks you simply as an Average Joe (or Josephine). Goat cheese pops up in salads and pizzas, sandwiches and wraps, entrees and desserts, as well as on the cheese plate or the appetizer offerings. And it can be found in almost any supermarket.

Sales of goat cheese in the United States are, in fact, increasing faster than any segment of the cheese market, according to the new book “Goat Cheese” by Maggie Foard (Gibbs Smith, 2008), and there are goat dairies in almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. There is fresh goat cheese (often sold under its French name, “chevre”) and feta made from goat’s milk, but you will also find — although it may take a bit of looking — Parmesan-style cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta, Brie, cheddar, Gouda and blue cheese.

The following recipes are for the type of goat cheese most easily found in American markets: chevre. (A friend suggests the correct pronunciation is “Chevrolet — without the “olet.”) Feta is also common, but much of it sold in grocery stores is made with cow’s milk. Laura Werlin, in her excellent book “Cheese Essentials” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007), recommends as a truly exceptional chevre the one from Pure Luck Dairy near Austin, Texas. If you live outside of Texas, it will be pure luck if you find it.

In addition to actual recipes — from Foard’s book, from Werlin’s and from an old favorite, “Barefoot Contessa at Home” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, 2006), here are a few ideas for very simple things to do with chevre:

— For a first-course salad, top a slice of watermelon with crumbled chevre, a drizzle of good olive oil and lots of cracked black pepper.

— Top pizza dough with grilled slices of eggplant, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives and goat cheese, then bake.

— Spread crackers with goat cheese, top with chopped, toasted walnuts, and drizzle with a bit of honey.

— Toss fresh spinach, toasted pine nuts, olives and grape tomatoes. Crumble chevre over all. Just before serving, fry chopped bacon or pancetta, drain well, and toss into the salad. (The hot bacon will melt the cheese slightly.) Dress with a lemony vinaigrette.

— Toast thin slices of baguette, smear with goat cheese, sprinkle with herbes de Provence or fresh thyme, and broil until melty.

— Quarter fresh figs, leaving the base end intact. Stuff with fresh goat cheese and a few snippets of fresh basil.

LAYERED PESTO, CHEVRE AND TOMATO TORTE WITH PINE NUTS

10 to 12 ounces chevre

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pint red and yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 roasted red bell pepper, finely diced

Line a 5- or 6-inch springform pan or soup plate with plastic wrap, leaving enough extra wrap on the sides for covering the torte after it is made. Press 5 to 6 ounces of the chevre into the bottom using the back of a spoon.

Combine the basil, oil, garlic, about 2-1/2 tablespoons of the pine nuts and salt in the food processor, and pulse to combine. Spoon this mixture over the chevre. Top with the remaining 5 to 6 ounces of chevre, and press gently with the back of the spoon to smooth into place. Wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24.

When ready to serve, unmold and top the torte with the tomatoes, roasted pepper and a drizzle of oil. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts. Serve at room temperature with toasted slices of baguette.

Variation: You can use annatto oil in place of regular olive oil to drizzle over the torte. To make, simmer 2 tablespoons annatto seeds (found in the Hispanic section of some supermarkets) with a cup of oil. When the oil begins to color, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain into a jar, discarding the seeds. Annatto seeds are also called “achiote” and are described as having a taste similar to a combination of nutmeg and pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from “Goat Cheese” by Maggie Foard (Gibbs Smith, 2008)

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT WRAPS

1 medium eggplant, stemmed and diced

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and diced

6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces chevre

4 (8-inch) soft Mediterranean flatbread or flour tortillas

1 cup slivered fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine the eggplant, peppers, onion and garlic in a heavy ovenproof skillet, and toss with the oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until everything has cooked down and is highly fragrant. Let cool.

To assemble: Warm the chevre for 15 seconds on low in a small bowl in the microwave to soften it. Spread 1 ounce of the warmed chevre on each flatbread or tortilla. Spoon on some of the eggplant mixture, and sprinkle on 1/4 cup of the basil. Roll up from one side, jellyroll style. Serve immediately, or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Goat Cheese” by Maggie Foard (Gibbs Smith, 2008)

CHICKEN WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL

6 boneless chicken-breast pieces, skin on

8 to 10 ounces garlic-and-herb chevre, such as Montrachet

6 large fresh basil leaves

high-quality olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached. Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and place 1 or 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken piece. Pull the skin over as much of the meat as possible so the chicken doesn’t dry out. With your fingers, rub each piece with olive oil, and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the skin is beginning to turn golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from “The Barefoot Contessa at Home” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, 2006)

CHOCOLATE-GOAT-CHEESE FONDUE

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

8 ounces chevre

sliced bananas and fresh, hulled strawberries for dipping

Combine the chocolate, cream and goat cheese in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate has melted. Transfer to a fondue pot and serve with fruit for dipping.

Yield: 2 cups

Recipe from “Cheese Essentials” by Laura Werlin (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2007)

 

Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.