Welcome to a recipe post for paid subscribers! This feta dish is inspired by one of my favorite restaurants. Next Tuesday, all subscribers will receive an essay about color as seen through the eyes of a photographer. As always, check out my past posts here and learn more about my day job here. Thanks for reading!
Here's where this recipe came from: desperation. One of my favorite restaurants, Lula Cafe, serves up a delicious baked feta. It comes with olives so good they converted Colin to love olives and acidic jalapeño oil and bread that's been oiled and toasted within an inch of its life. In other words, it is something special.
During the pandemic, I became desperate. (This was before the beautiful Lula Cafe cookbook had graced this world, you understand.) I developed this recipe as a stand-in, and it did its job. Does it replace the simply divine baked feta that Lula Cafe serves? Absolutely not. Do I still order the baked feta before I even settle in my seat when I get to eat at Lula? Yes. But, all that said, in case you aren’t in Chicago or at Lula this very instant, here’s a baked feta recipe for you to enjoy at home.
Make this, throw a pot of beans on, and hey, look at that: dinner’s ready!
Tips
Feta is a pretty salty, high acid cheese, which makes it a little bit more stable than, say, brie. Even when you put it under the broiler, it starts to brown instead of melting. Don’t expect it to get all gooey—you’re more looking for some dark edges.
Feta cheese has a brine-y, salty flavor that I love. Pairing it with chili oil, lemon or orange juice, olives, and honey to add a sharp, spicy, and a little bit sweet flavor to the cheese. You could also play around with Nam Prik Pao, capers, or pomegranate molasses. Get crazy.
Sure, you could eat this with a spoon or over a salad or with focaccia or crackers. No shade to any of those choices! But if you really want to experience the magic, you’ll douse some bread with olive oil and toast it up until it turns gold. Yes, this ruins normal bread forever. No, I’m not sorry.
Baked Feta with Olives
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