Kumquats & Goat Cheese on Whole Wheat Sourdough

Farewell winter, hello early spring.   And, what a welcome one it is!   Nature is awakening early with vibrantly colored blooms and the air is crisp and smells sweet.  The bike path is full of runners and cyclists.  Flowers are already out at the local markets for planting.  I feel so full of energy, so alive.

I found these lovely little kumquats at a market in the city this weekend.  So, as a proper farewell to winter, I thought it would be fitting to celebrate with these adorable miniature citrus…I couldn’t resist.  I’ve never tasted one before, actually. The whole fruit is edible.  I bit into one and at first it tasted like an orange rind, only sweeter and more delicate.  Then my teeth sunk into the juicy flesh and I was struck with a jolt of tartness that hit my taste buds.  PUCKER!!!

This particular variety, Nagami,  are oval and characteristically quite sour.  There are five or six varieties, each with their own subtle differences varying in degree of sweetness to sour.    Since mine are clearly on the more tart end of the spectrum, I decided to pair them with a good creamy French goat cheese, a drizzle of local honey for sweetness, and a sprinkling of earthy thyme.  I made thick slices of whole wheat sourdough and toasted them in the oven with olive oil and sea salt until golden. I assembled them while the toast was quite warm and finished with a drizzle of a good peppery olive oil. These make a perfect breakfast, almost like a fresh version of marmalade, with coffee.  It would also make for a simple lunch or evening hors d’oeuvre served on a thinly sliced French baguette.

Kumquats & Goat Cheese on Whole Wheat Sourdough

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf whole wheat sourdough: sliced thick, halved, and toasted
18-24 kumquats (12 to 16 ounces): quarted, seeded, and finely diced
8 ounces good goat cheese
4-6 sprigs of thyme
Fustini's Leccino Olive Oil
2 T honey
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice sourdough in thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and place in oven to toast for 7 to 10 minutes or to your liking.

Quarter, deseed, and finely dice kumquats. Remove thyme leaves from the stem by running your fingers from the top to bottom of the stem.

To assemble: spread goat cheese on each slice of bread; evenly distribute kumquats among toasts; drizzle with olive oil and a little honey for sweetness; garnish with thyme; season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Serves 6.