Marinated Cheese

MARINATED CHEESE

History: This is my youngest daughter’s favorite appetizer. I serve it whenever I am having a crowd because it disappears. I am placing it in their personal family cookbooks for Christmas 2005.


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (can use red tastes the same it just looks better with white)
1 (2 ounce) bottle diced pimento, drained (can use ½ cup chopped red bell pepper)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (can substitute fresh basil, cilantro, or a combo of all 3. I love the basil)
3 tablespoons minced green onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon dried basil (eliminate if you use fresh basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese (works with whatever hard yellow cheese that you like)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold
DIRECTIONS:
In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, wine vinegar, pimento, parsley, green onion, garlic, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously to blend. Set aside.

Cut the block of Cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices to form squares.

Repeat with cream cheese. I do not cut the cream cheese the same way as the Cheddar cheese. It is difficult to make look nice, but if you want you can try to put the cream cheese in the freezer to try to get it to slice better. Pour the marinade from the jar over the cheese slices. I put a block of cream cheese and the Cheddar slices in a tightly sealed plastic container to marinate overnight or at least 6 hours. The recipe tastes better the longer it marinates.

To serve, remove slices to a serving platter with the cream cheese in the middle. I arrange the Cheddar around the sides of the cream cheese. Spoon some of the marinade over the cheese, and serve with crackers or a good hard bread. If you have any marinade left over it tastes great over a salad too!

Buon Appetito