Name: Marinated Feta Cheese with Lemon and Shallot
Yield: Serves 10 (Makes about 2 1/2 cups)
Cuisine: Greek, Europe
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium shallot, sliced thin; 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 8 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

Before You Begin

Serve with wedges of warm pita bread or slices of baguette. Even after the feta has been eaten, the remaining flavorful oil is great for dipping with bread. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best International Recipe.

Instructions

Cook 1 cup of the oil, the shallot, oregano, lemon zest, and pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat until the shallot is softened, about 18 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and gently stir in the feta. Cover and let sit until the mixture reaches room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup oil and serve. (The mixture can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Before serving, let sit at room temperature until the oil liquefies about 1 hour.)