Rice Bowl Sauces: Herbed Goat Cheese

Why make just one flavor of rice bowl sauce when you stumble upon a recipe for five? 

Once I surveyed this quintet of delicious options, I set upon a plan to try them all.

Ta daaaa! Allow me to present my fifth of five forays into the sweet and savory world of rice bowl sauces!

This one may be the easiest of the lot. Basically, a small package of goat cheese loosens up with some olive oil and water, then dragged through the herb garden, and shazam! Sauce is ready. 

^ Yes, it really is that easy. here are my store-bought ingredients in a bowl, with a handful of freshly clipped herbs from my backyard garden.

^ I gave them the quick chop for which I am famous, at least around my dinner table. I call it a rustic chop - I prefer a plate of food where I can still make out the individual tastes and textures of each component, rather than every item being chopped into homogeneous oblivion. 

My husband begs to differ. 

^ But I'm the one who wields the knife so we all know how that story ends.

As has been my practice, I served my sauce with the paired rice bowl. In addition to the requisite brown and white rice, this one featured a can of black beans, one diced poblano pepper, a handful of grape tomatoes, and four ears of sweet corn.

Thanks to my dog, Gracie, I had to make do with three and a half ears. Girl loves her veggies. She ate it, cob and all. 

Generously seasoned with spicy Mexican flavors, these ingredients did not compliment the tangy herbed goat cheese as I would have liked. My family agreed with me that next time, it might be better with gently seasoned beef or salmon so the punch of the goat cheese is the main flavor event. 

We also agreed that when it comes to this herbed goat cheese rice bowl sauce, there definitely will be a next time. 

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Ingredients & Directions

Combine 4 ounces of softened goat cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 tablespoons water, then blend until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup of chopped fresh herbs (any combination of chives, parsley, basil, and mint), and season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. 

from the Kitchn

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I've committed to a month of Rice Bowl Mondays, featuring each of the five sauces in the article. Here you go:

Orange Tahini

Spicy Sriracha Peanut

Mediterranean Olive Sauce

Hoisin Ginger

Herbed Goat Cheese