A warmed goat cheese covered in a sweet chili sauce that is reminiscent of relish. Flavors in the dish come from the blend of chilies, salt and brown sugar. In Mexico, pilloncillo, a type of brown sugar that comes in large cones, is traditional. If you can't get it, dark brown sugar will do just fine.
This is a great dish to serve at the end of a meal. Although it has Mexican overtones, it would go equally well after a number European-influenced courses.
If you have only ancho or pasilla chilies, you can substitute one for the other.
Serves 4 people
1/4
cup vegetable oil2
ancho chilies2
pasilla chilies1/2
large white onion, finely diced5
oz pilloncillo (or dark brown sugar)1/3
cup cider vinegar1/4
tsp black pepper1/4
tsp ground allspice3
tbsp olive oil1
tsp salt
8
oz chevre1
tbsp butter- Slices of white bread, for serving
Tear the stems from the chilies and shake out most of the seeds. In a medium pot, heat the oil and when hot, fry the chilies for a few seconds until they puff up. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a paper towel. Once cool, slice the chilies into thin 1/8 inch strips. Don't worry if they crumble as you slice them as they will be fine in the sauce.
Mix the chili strips with the remaining sauce ingredients. If using pilloncillo, chop it finely with a knife (a bread knife works well) to crumble it before being added.
Put the cheese in the freezer for two hours before preparing the dish.
After two hours, preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the block of cheese and fry it for 30 seconds on each side until it just begins to soften. Transfer to a plate and set aside for a few minutes. Warm the chili sauce.
Lay the softened cheese on a plate and top with the chili sauce. Serve immediately with sliced white bread.