Watercress With Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops

watercress with smoked almond goat cheese scoops & grapes in red wine syrup

Posted by Abrams

About

An awfully simple recipe that looks very flashy. Instead of the grapes you could use fresh cranberries or quar­tered fresh figs. If you can’t find smoked almonds, you can use regular almonds.

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You Will Need (9 things)

  • ½ of a 750-ml bottle red Wine
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 g) turbinado or Demerara Sugar
  • 3 star Anise
  • 8 Cardamom pods
  • 5 oz (150 g) seedless red Grapes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 7 oz (200 g) soft Goats Cheese
  • 3/10 cup (50 g) smoked Almonds
  • 1 bunch fresh Watercress , stems removed

Steps (6 steps, 20 minutes)

  1. 1

    Heat the wine in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the anise and car­damom and bring to a boil. Boil the syrup for about 25 minutes, until it’s slightly thicker. Reduce the heat to low and add the grapes. Warm the grapes in the syrup for about 7 minutes.

  2. 2

    Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

  3. 3

    Divide the goat cheese into 12 equal portions. With clean hands, roll the portions into small balls.

  4. 4

    Pulse the almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Roll the goat cheese balls in the almonds to coat them.

  5. 5

    Place the cheese balls on a tray or baking sheet, cover them, and place them in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.

  6. 6

    To serve, wash and dry the watercress. Arrange some nice leaves over 4 plates. Arrange the goat cheese balls on top and spoon grapes in syrup around the cheese.