Marinated Feta with Pink Peppercorn and Fennel Seed

One of my favorite cocktails combines champagne with pink peppercorn and a few delicious herbal ingredients. With these bright, fresh flavors in mind, I created a marinated feta that is perfect for snacking, topping salads, or accompanying a charcuterie board.  The reddish pink berries and sprigs of bright green oregano – reminiscent of holly and winterberry – also make this a great appetizer for Christmas parties and winter celebrations.

Since pink peppercorns are actually berries with a citrusy, peppery flavor, they are a great replacement for traditional black peppercorns.  They are also softer than actual peppercorns. Before you make this recipe, taste a few and you will see why fennel seed makes such a great partner. Imagine the taste of fresh oregano mingling with the two, and you might not be able to wait the full week before opening the jar to taste this recipe in action.

Ingredients

4 ounces cubed feta
2, 6-inch sprigs of oregano
2 teaspoons pink peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon dried chopped garlic
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil to cover

For this recipe, feel free to substitute white, green, or black peppercorns for all or some of the pink.  Plan to use a lidded glass that can be sealed tightly. If you only have very small jars, the recipe can be made divided among them.

Begin by laying one of the oregano sprigs in the bottom of the jar, circling it around the bottom. Layer in 2 ounces of the cubed feta, and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the pink peppercorns, ½ teaspoon of the fennel seeds, all of the dried chopped garlic, and the red pepper flakes on top. Some of the spices will make their way below the cheese, and some will remain on top. This is exactly what you want, since the flavors should surround all of the cheese cubes.

Layer in another 2 ounces of feta, sprinkle with the remaining pink peppercorns and fennel seeds, and add the final stem of oregano. Fill the jar with enough olive oil to cover. When selecting an olive oil for this recipe, choose one that you would use for salad dressings, as a good quality oil will add to the overall flavor.

Seal the jar, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then refrigerate for about four days. But before you do, take a look at how beautiful it all looks.

Before serving, allow the marinated feta to come to room temperature as the olive oil tends to congeal in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend replacing the olive oil with another type as it lends such a great flavor, and it only takes about 30 minutes to an hour to get to serving temperature.

For holiday planning, tuck away a little reminder to revisit this recipe when December arrives.