I really like to use herbs in my cooking.  I think the way you use herbs can reflect the seasons, if that makes sense.  For instance, during the winter when I made minestrone soup*, the herbs were cooked into a thick soup, which enhanced the hearty flavor of the vegetables.  This recipe uses herbs in a lighter fashion, by pairing them fresh with goat cheese which enhances the flavor in a very subtle and light way.  I feel like this light dish would be perfect for summer and spring.  Consequently, I used this recipe for Herbed Goat Cheese* not only in my salad, but also on bread, smashed into a veggie burger…the possibilities are endless!

You’ll need the zest of a lemon, some thyme, rose mary, Italian Flat leaf parsley, and of course, goat cheese.

Chop up your Italian flat leaf parsley.  You want to chop it up very finely – the smaller the pieces, the better.  Strip the rosemary and thyme leaves from their stems, and chop them up as well.

Place all the herbs into a bowl, also add your lemon zest and a touch of salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Next, form the goat cheese into 1 inch round spheres.

I do this by cutting a small chunk of cheese with my knife, then rolling it in my hand like play dough.  Come on, you remember how to do that, right?

Next, roll each ball into the herb mixture and lemon mixture.  This is why its good to cut the herbs into small pieces – it will coat the cheese more evenly.

Hints:

I have seen a lot of different variations for this online. Some people like to coat the cheese with bread crumbs and then fry them.  Go wild, I say!