Grilled Feta Cheese Appetizer Recipes

GRILLED FETA CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Oil a 14 inch long piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Place onion slices in center of French Bread slices on the foil.
• Slice Feta into 24 pieces, place on top of onions and sprinkle with garlic.
• Add bell peppers and sprinkle with oregano and black pepper.
• Fold up foil and seal edges.
• Grill covered 30 minutes turning once or bake at 350°F.

MARINATED FETA THREE WAYS

Steps:

• For each of the above combinations, place all ingredients except for the feta in a small saucepan and gently heat over medium low just until tiny bubbles begin to form, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Once the infused olive oil is cool, transfer half of the aromatics from the saucepan to a 16-ounce Mason jar followed by half of the feta. Repeat layering and then carefully pour the infused olive oil into the jar. Gently press the feta down if needed to ensure it is fully submerged and seal the jar with its lid (see Cook's Note). Place the jar in the refrigerator and allow the feta to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 5 days.
• Remove the jar from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the solidified olive oil to liquify.

GRILLED FETA WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, za'atar and Aleppo pepper in a shallow bowl or small baking dish. Add the feta and spoon the oil over the top. Set aside to marinate 1 hour.
• While the cheese marinates, place the grape leaves in a bowl of room-temperature water and let soak.
• Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Drain the grape leaves and lay in a single layer on the towels; pat very dry. On a clean surface, overlap the grape leaves slightly to form a square. Place the block of feta in the center (reserve the flavored oil), then fold the grape leaves to cover the cheese like a present.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Toast the pita over direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Brush the outside of the wrapped feta with some of the reserved oil and place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Cook until the grape leaves are crisp and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and move to direct heat; grill until lightly charred on the second side and the cheese is warmed through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a board or platter and serve with the pita, olives, walnuts and/or apricots, plus any remaining flavored oil.

GRILLED TOMATO AND FETA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Stir mayonnaise, feta cheese, and lemon zest together in a small bowl until well blended. Spread feta mixture evenly over bread slices.
• Top 2 slices of the bread evenly with tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top tomatoes with remaining bread slices, feta-side down. Brush both sides of the sandwich evenly with olive oil.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sandwiches in the hot skillet until golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden and toasted, about 3 minutes more. Serve immediately.

FETA CHEESE APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• In a medium skillet cook onion and garlic in olive oil and sesame oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Remove from heat.
• Add cream cheese and feta cheese; stir until mixture is nearly smooth.
• Stir in olives, sweet peppers, and dillweed. Set aside.
• Using a long serrated knife, split pita rounds in half horizontally to form two circles.
• Place, cut side up, on a large ungreased baking sheet.
• Broil 3 inches from heat for 1 minute or until pita rounds are lightly toasted.
• Spread each pita round with about 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture.
• Broil about 1 minute more or until hot.
• To serve, use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut each round into 6 wedges.

CRISPY GRILLED FETA WITH SAUCY BUTTER BEANS

Steps:

• Put a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat, and tip in the passata, butter beans, garlic, oregano, spinach and peppers. Stir together and cook for 6-8 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the spinach has wilted. Season, then add the lemon juice.
• Heat the grill to high. Scatter the feta over the sauce, so it's still exposed, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle over the lemon zest plus a pinch of oregano, then grind over some black pepper. Grill for 5-8 mins until the feta is golden and crisp at the edges.
• Meanwhile, toast the pittas under the grill or in the toaster, then serve with the beans and feta.

GRILLED FETA QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cheeses with oregano until blended. Spread 3 tablespoons of cheese mixture over half of each tortilla; top with olives, pimientos and onion. Fold tortillas over., Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill quesadillas, uncovered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cut each quesadilla into three wedges. Serve warm.

GRILLED BEETS WITH FETA

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Spread beets onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil over beets and season with salt. Fold foil over beets, sealing the edges together to create a packet.
• Cook on the preheated grill, turning once, until beets are tender, about 30 minutes. Carefully open packet and top beets with feta cheese and chives. Close packet again and grill until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

GRILLED GREEK CHICKEN BREASTS WITH WHIPPED FETA

Steps:

• Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
• Combine red wine vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and garlic powder in a bowl. Add chicken and toss until thoroughly and evenly coated. Pour in ¼ cup olive oil and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 12 hours, but 2 to 3 hours is ideal.
• Place Greek yogurt in another bowl and crumble in feta cheese. Add garlic, mint, and lemon zest and whip with an electric hand mixer or whisk until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until needed.
• Preheat a charcoal grill until coals are white and very hot.
• Grill chicken over the hot coals for about 4 minutes per side; continue to flip and grill chicken until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each piece reads at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Remove from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes.
• Spread whipped feta onto a serving platter or plate and place chicken over top. Sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley and mint and serve.