Jack Steaks with Basil and Goat Cheese Pesto with Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots in Sheep with Goat Bechamel Sauce. - Contributed photos

Emma Sharp, Contributor

Bye-bye cheddar, hello feta. Popular in Greece and traditionally made from sheep's milk (but goat and cow's milk can be used), feta cheese is white, crumbly and salty. It is yummy in salads and dips, and found in most of Jamaica's larger supermarkets, as well as at Finnigan's on Central Avenue in St. Andrew. While you're there, also stock up on the hard cheese of both 'Baah-ing' animals!

I know, I know, having smelled these four-legged species, and seen what they eat (especially the goat), the thought of consuming the dairy produced from them is off-putting. Not exactly the most delicate of tastes, and if their milk is not had immediately you might gag at the idea of trying it again. However, the cheeses are quite different, and when used in the recipes below, the flavours are deliciously mellow.

Alternative to cow's milk

For those of you who are allergic to cow's milk, the sheep and goat's are excellen that have been shown to reduce some of the symptoms of asthma, eczema and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's. Doctors recommend feeding babies and toddlers with goat's milk once they have been weaned off the breast or formula. The reason is that the protein in goat's milk is easier for little ones to break down and digest than that in cow's milk, because their digestive tracts are not fully developed until three years of age. When these incompletely digested proteins are absorbed from the intestines, they enter the lymph and/or bloodstream, which cause allergic reactions (some being fatal).

A few weeks ago, I combined a freshly caught Jack fish with some fresh basil, and (not coincidentally), I had lovely cheeses in my fridge. With all these ingredients at hand, I smelt myself a dinner party and grist for an article.

Jack Steaks with Basil & Goat Cheese Pesto:

INGREDIENTS

6 x 4-6oz Jack steaks (or other dark meat fish, like tuna)

Pesto:

1 large bunch of basil

6 tbsps. freshly grated hard goat's cheese

6 tbsps. olive oil

Black pepper

METHOD

1. Place the Jack steaks in a ceramic dish large enough to hold them side by side.

2. Rub 4-5 tbsps. of the pesto into the fish. Leave for 1-6 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350?F. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just cooked through.

Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots in a Sheep and Goat B?chamel Sauce:

¹/⁴ lb. broccoli, cut into florets, cooked & drained

¹/⁴ lb. cauliflower, cut into florets, cooked & drained

³/⁴ lb. carrots, peeled & cut into 2-inch sticks, cooked and drained

B?chamel Sauce:

INGREDIENTS

1 oz.butter

1 oz. flour

2 tsps. dry English mustard

16 fl oz. milk

2oz. hard sheep's cheese, grated

2 oz. hard goat's cheese, grated

2 fl oz. dry white wine

Black pepper and sea salt

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350?F. Melt butter in a pot, stir in flour and mustard. Cook for 1 minute.

2. Add milk and stir continuously with a hand whisk until smooth and thickened.

3. Add the wine and most of the cheese. Cook for two minutes.

4. Mix the vegetables in an oven dish and pour over the sauce.

5. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 10 minutes.

6. Preheat the broiler and grill for another 5-10 minutes until golden.

Emma's Baah-Baah menu:

Spicy Red Pepper and Sheep Feta Dip on Mini Toasts

Jack Steaks with Basil and Goat Cheese Pesto

Roasted Breadfruit Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots in a Sheep and Goat B?chamel Sauce

Spicy Red Pepper and Sheep Feta Dip on Mini Toasts:

INGREDIENTS

6 ¹/² cm. slices brown hard-dough bread

Dip:

3 tbsps. olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper

8 oz. sheep's feta

Black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 300?F. Roll the bread slices as flat as possible with a rolling pin.

2. Stamp out 3-4 squares from each slice with a square cookie cutter (1¹/² in x 1¹/² in.)

3. Place on a baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

4. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan, add the peppers and fry until golden.

5. Turn into a food processor, add the feta and sprinkle with black pepper. Whiz until smooth. Serve on mini toasts.