Kismet's Marinated Feta
No matter the pairing, our feta always starts with an infused oil. The flavors in this oil were inspired by a particular marinated goat cheese from an Australian producer, Meredith Dairy. Aromatic with toasty garlic, lemon zest and black pepper, when paired with creamy cheese, this is about as satisfying as it gets. You can make the feta oil weeks ahead and keep it in the fridge. We even recommend doubling or tripling the batch so you have it hanging around for whenever feta calls. It’s also handy to have on hand for other uses, like dressing salads and marinating vegetables.
Learn to cook vegetables in all the best possible ways from the new cookbook “Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes” by Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer, the chefs of Kismet and Kismet Rotisserie.
Cherry tomatoes roasted in a spice-infused oil are combined with segments of grapefruit in an unexpectedly magical match that’s fantastic with creamy, tangy marinated feta.
Infuse the oil: In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, bay leaf, coriander and peppercorns. Heat gently over very low heat for 30 minutes to infuse, stirring occasionally to break up any clumps. (You want to avoid caramelization on the garlic, so if you need to turn the heat on and off to keep it from browning, do it.)
Strain the oil into a small container and discard the solids. Let the oil cool to room temperature.
Marinate the feta: In a small bowl, crumble the feta into large chunks. Cover the feta with the aromatic oil and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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