Back in early March we vacationed in Antigua. It was our second trip there and I highly recommend it — gorgeous island, friendly people and outstanding food and drink. I did a post on the food highlights from our last trip, but this time I brought back some ideas to recreate in my own kitchen.
We’re no strangers to digging into the local foods, but often the resorts where we stay come up with some delicious things as well. I spotted these profiteroles on the menu our first night and I was bound and determined to try them before the trip was over.
Not only did I want to try them, I knew as soon as I spotted them (and I’m pretty sure I said it out loud to my husband) – that’s what I’m making with the goat cheese!
Right before we left for the trip, I received a package overflowing with products from Redwood Hill Farm in Sebastopol, Calif. A Certified Humane goat dairy, Redwood Hill Farm is a small family farm that has been producing goat milk products since 1968.
My generous package contained — Chèvre (including roasted chile chèvre!), Bucheret, Camellia (camembert), raw milk feta, goat milk yogurt in flavors like apricot mango and mango orange pineapple kefir. I also received some lactose-free products from their sister company, Green Valley Organics – yogurt, kefir and sour cream.
The kefirs have made a delicious addition to breakfast and those aged goat cheeses have been a true treat for the cheese plates my husband and I like to snack on over the weekend. But let’s talk about this chèvre.
First of all, I have not seen it in re-sealable packaging like this, and I love it! Usually I’m dealing with the log wrapped in messy plastic that is a pain to store in the fridge. This makes it so much easier to keep the fridge stocked.
Unlike the other treats that have been a joy to eat and drink as they are, I wanted to make some with the chèvre. When I saw those profiteroles on our trip, I knew that was it. I had the goat cheese and we were coming into asparagus season. Perfect.
These profiteroles are the answer to the traditional finger sandwich. I would take this light, puffed pastry filled with goat cheese over a roll with ham salad any day. They are also easy to make. I know puffy baked things can be intimidating, but even with my past baking challenges, I can make profiteroles without fail. They are not at all as complicated as they seem. Promise.
Redwood Hill Farm chèvre is ideal for this recipe because it has a creamy, almost whipped texture. It blends well with the steamed asparagus. Speaking of the asparagus, be sure to steam it until it is almost mushy and then chop it before adding it to the food processor. This will ensure the asparagus purees and blends into the goat cheese so you have a smooth filling.
Savory Profiteroles with Asparagus and Goat Cheese
Makes: 12 profiteroles
Ingredients:
Profiteroles
1 cup water
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
1 cup white whole wheat flour
4 eggs
Filling
6 stalks asparagus, steamed and chopped
8 oz. chèvre
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Add the water, butter and salt to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
As soon as it comes to a rolling boil, stir in the flour and reduce the heat. Continue to stir vigorously until a smooth dough is formed. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the eggs. Stir quickly until they are completely mixed in and the mixture returns to a soft dough.
Use a tablespoon to scoop and drop the dough onto the baking sheet to make 12 large profiteroles. You can also use a pastry bag to pipe the dough onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown. Let cool completely.
To make the filling, combine the asparagus and chèvre in a small food processor. Pulse until combined into a smooth green spread. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chives, salt and pepper.
Use a serrated knife to cut open each profiterole like a bun. Spread an even amount of the goat cheese filling inside each profiterole and serve.
Disclosure: The products mentioned in this post were provided by Redwood Hill Farm. I was not required to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.
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