On a recent afternoon, my good friend and colleague Phil and I were given a blank check at the local Whole Foods with the simple commission, dinner. With the weather being more beautiful than words could do justice, the decision was made to grill everything. While each course was either grilled or featured a grilled component prominently in its flavor profile, the course that struck me as most resourceful and clever was the dessert; Goat Cheese with a Trio of Grilled Fruits, Local Honey and Strawberries, Sage Flowers, Pistachios, and Candied Fennel. The combination of the cheese course with dessert resulted in a fascinating marriage of sweet and savory, bright with sharp and contrasting flavors. It had a simple elegance to it, just fruit and cheese and honey. Simple.
The flavors that developed on this plate were incredibly complex and harmonious. Inspiration came from time restrictions on the dinner this plate followed. In an effort to provide both a chees course and dessert, I combined them. Several elements of the plate struck me as needing particular attention; the fruit and the cheese. As the goal of the meal was to grill as much as possible, larger, heartier produce would be essential. Secondly, the cheese would have to be assertive to pair with the aggressive flavors of the grill, but alas, must still be able to be slightly sweetened to have a more traditional dessert profile. Most readily available at the time was goat cheese. Appealing not only for its richness, but for its acidity, which would balance nicely with the honey and fennel syrup. Similarly the acid would brighten the fruit and equalize the effects if the grill.
This dish surpassed my wildest expectations, and proves to be a great option for the food-cost-conscious cooks among us. I have since, adapted it in a variety of platings, several different cheeses, and even for breakfast (fruit curds, edible flowers, and light pastries lend to the best breakfast preparations.)
