Edible gifts. Marinated feta cheese

It is funny how easy it is to make this super aromatic and tasty feta (you can use goat cheese or fresh sheep’s milk or any fresh cheese). You just put everything together and let it sit for a few days for the flavors to melt into each other. When giving this as a gift, you can make small or large jars, and always add some info (read below) about serving times and suggestions – as an appetizer, in salads, with baked veggies, on hummus and so on. Simple, yet so full of flavour. 

Ingredients

300 g feta, cut or broken into large pieces
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp harissa paste*
100 ml mild extra virgin olive oil 
1 bay leave
1 large garlic clove, peeled, half finely-chopped, half pressed through a garlic press
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper to taste
handful of raisins

Prepare

Place cheese and everything, except the oil, into a jar. Pour over olive oil, close the lid, and leave to marinate for 3 days. Decorate the jar as you wish for gifting. 

If you are giving the cheese as a gift on the first day, add a note: “The cheese should be consumed not earlier than ….... Please take out of the fridge an hour before serving”. 

* check how strong the paste is. Mine was mild, but if using a spicier variety, add less.

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s
Plates, table and Christmas decorations: HM Home
Place: Sukņu stacija, Riga, Maskavas 196