| Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, May 1990 Serves 6 |
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
1 sprig rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
1 large head radicchio, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 oz creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
about 30 French bread crostini (from about 1/2 a baguette)
Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepot. Place over medium heat and cook until the garlic is golden, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, then add the rosemary and thyme sprigs, submerging them beneath the oil. Allow the oil-garlic-herb mixture to rest at room temperature 1 hour. Strain, discarding the garlic and herbs and reserving the oil. The flavored oil can be made a day or two ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Preheat the oven to 400ᵒF. Arrange the sliced radicchio over the base of a shallow baking dish. (I used a 10-inch wide circular ceramic dish.) Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the radicchio. Bake until the cheese begins to melt, and the top is lightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven, drizzle with a couple tablespoons of the herbed olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Serve hot with the crostini on the side.
