Goat Cheese Gratin... and a luncheon

    My very good friend, Renate, came for a visit this past week.  We are childhood friends from my hometown of Amana, Iowa.

  

I had a small luncheon on the patio one afternoon during Renate's stay, which included other local friends of mine.  I made Salade Nicoise for the main dish, and a  Raspberry Clafoutis Tart for dessert.  The Goat Cheese Gratin, pictured above, was an appetizer along with glasses of French Rosé.

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                                      Goat Cheese Gratin
                                  adapted from a recipe by Patricia Wells in
                                       Patricia Wells at Home in Provence

• 6 to 7 ounces soft goat cheese, broken up with a fork
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• a sprinkling of fresh or dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup homemade Tomato Sauce, room temperature
• a scattering of black olives
• several leaves of fresh basil, chopped
1.  Preheat the broiler.
2.  Scatter the goat cheese on the bottom of an 8-inch gratin or baking dish.  Sprinkle with the rosemary and thyme.  Spoon the tomato sauce over the cheese and herbs.  Scatter the olives on top.
3.  Place the gratin under the broiler.  Broil until the cheese is melted.  Scatter the fresh basil on top.  Serve with crackers or slices of baguette.