From this…..
To this……
Marinated Feta is very simple to make, once you have mastered the art of the cheese itself. Wash a large jar, then sterilise it and the lid. This ensures that no bad bacteria start growing in your marinade.To this marinade, I added a sprig each of rosemary, thyme and oregano, 2 dried and crumbled birds-eye chilies, and a liberal grinding of black pepper.
Then top it all off with half extra virgin olive oil and half sunflower oil. If you just use olive oil, it solidifies in the fridge and doesn’t look very nice.
The recipe I followed recommended at least a week in the fridge for the flavours to infuse into the cheese. I gave it two and it tasted fantastic!
The only ingredients that were not home-grown was the milk in the cheese and the olive oil. Give me a few years and I might figure out how to milk chickens! I wonder what cheese will be next?
Hi Gavin could you please give me some advice I have made some beautiful fetta, transferred it over to my marinate in oil it was beautiful but I have noticed it has produced a little mucus web around the cheese and in the oil. Could it be that I have left it to long in the oil or maybe it still had brine/water in the fetta some advice would be wonder full Thank you Lynn
Hi Lynn, possibly just a little whey from the cheese. It should be fine.
Hi Gavin
Do you use freshly made Feta or do you brine-age it first? I’ve seen a recipe that mills in a couple of tablespoons of salt and then air-dries the curds for a couple of days. I guess it would be an ideal candidate for marinating at that point?
Thanks!
– Richard
Hi Richard,
I do put the Feta in brine first for a week before I marinate it. Then I let it air dry for a day, and put it into the oil.
Hi Gavin,
I made this feta over the weekend. My very first cheese making experience. It is delicious!. I can't wait to marinade it tomorrow. Your video's are easy to follow and the comments you write about your experiences making the cheese are great too. Thanks so much.
Gavin, I'm seriously thinking about it. Just need to come up with some time when I can really concentrate, instead of having to be mum at the same time. And I'm not quite sure what to start with…
Hi Gavin,
It's great that you've got a dedicated cheese blog now. I've referred to your other blog a couple times in the past (used your Wensleydale recipe for some excellent cheese) and enjoyed it.
I'm excited about this marinated feta idea. Don't know why I'd never thought of it! I did try brining some feta in soy sauce recently though – it was interesting, but not bad. (Here's my account http://milksleap.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/chinese-cheese/)
Anyway, I look forward to reading more from you. Thanks!
-Caitlin
Hi Cat, you should give it a go. It is really simple.
Gav
Mmmm! I love marinated feta!