by Chef Matthew Krenz

Summer is here. The seasonal bounty at the farmers market is growing by the week. Stone fruits, mid-summer tomatoes, and melons are in full swing. At The Asbury, we were constantly coming up with different composed tomato dishes — the versatile fruit lends itself to so many applications and an even more variety of counterparts on the plate. Sometimes we’d add some basil gelato or maybe make a cornmeal pâte brisèe with some of the most unctuous UAV Cottage Cheese.

This dish is a new iteration I created on the fly when I was hosting some friends. I like to think of it as a buttoned-up backwoods dish. You can break it out for people with a more sophisticated palate, or you can bring it to a church potluck. Either way, it is meant to be enjoyed with friends and family on these sweltering summer evenings for a refreshing reminder of the bounty of our beautiful local farmlands.

Summer Truffle Whipped Goat Cheese

Ingredients

8 oz. truffled goat cheese*
8 oz. Neufchatel cheese, room temp
2 tbsp. chopped summer truffle
2 tbsp. chives, chopped finely
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
1 tbsp. lemon zest
Salt to taste

*Truffled goat cheese can be found at select area supermarkets and cheese shops. You can substitute plain goat cheese (we recommend Blue Goat Dairy found at many Charlotte farmers markets). You can use it plain or add some jarred black summer truffle sauce, also found at many markets.

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine room temp goat cheese and Neufchatel.
2. Whip the cheeses until almost doubled in volume with a paddle attachment, and scrape the sides at least twice.
3. Season with salt and add in your truffle, parsley, chives, and lemon zest.
4. Set aside until you are ready to plate.

Plating

Spread the goat cheese mixture in a circle on a dinner plate or similarly sized serving dish. Place accoutrements on top according to your taste and creativity.

Suggesgted Accoutrements

Heirloom tomatoes
Ripe peaches
Cucumbers
Marcona almonds
Creole mustard or pickled mustard seeds
Chive flowers
Bronze leaf fennel
Arugula
Fennel pollen
Lemon thyme
Snipped chives
Extra virgin olive oil
Maldon flaked salt
Fresh-cracked Tellicherry pepper

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