Spicy Tomato Marinated Feta – Recipe!

Have you ever bought one of those jars of floating Feta cheese cubes suspended in oil and herbs?  The herbs and oil infuse the cheese or become marinated, and can be eaten on top of crackers, spread over salads, or plucked straight from the jar and enjoyed.  Cheese marinated is such a way is so easy to do right in your own kitchen, and with a few other  ingredients, it can become an experience, not just food, at any gathering or holiday party.

I got this recipe from “Nothing Fancy,” a new cookbook from Alison Roman, cookbook author and writer for the New York Times.  As I have mentioned before, her recipes are simple, but delicious with not many ingredients and come out tasting fantastic.  This marinated feta recipe is truly the best and serves up nicely on a platter.  I chunked up the feta cheese instead of slicing it, and I added fresh parsley to give it a bit of color, cute for Christmas, huh?

The heat comes from Harissa, a spice paste that you can find in almost any grocery store, including Trader Joe’s, or make your own from scratch.  This stuff is potently fun and you can stir a spoonful into almost any sauce or spread, or dollop it on top of eggs, meat and vegetables to add a touch of heat.  This appetizer is crowd pleasing and almost addicting – each and every bite will lead to another and another, trust me on this one.

Ingredients

12 ounces Feta cheese, chunked

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tomato, diced

2 tablespoons Harissa

salt & pepper

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, optional

crackers or bread for serving

(Serves 6-8)

To Prepare:

1. Place chunked feta on a large serving platter or in a bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil.  After 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until lightly browned.
2. Add tomatoes to oil and stir.  Cook tomatoes in oil for 3 minutes, until they start to become almost sauce-like.  Spoon in Harissa and add a pinch of salt and pepper, stir.
3. Remove from heat and pour over feta cheese.  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, or wrap and store in refrigerator for several hours before serving.  Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.  Enjoy!