Grapes with Atabafado Goat Cheese, Aged Sheep’s Cheese and Honeycomb Honey

The simplicity only the Alentejo can offer

Some starters don’t need a recipe - they need good ingredients. This combination of sweet, fragrant grapes with two characterful Alentejo cheeses and a drizzle of rosemary honey with honeycomb is proof that the region’s cuisine can be both simple and sophisticated.

The cured atabafado goat’s cheese, matured in a closed environment using a traditional technique that gives it a firm texture and an intense, slightly spicy flavour, pairs perfectly with the buttery smoothness of cured sheep’s cheese. Rosemary honey with honeycomb from Serra de Portel brings everything together with a floral, fragrant sweetness that makes this starter truly special.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 200 g fresh grapes (red or white, or both)
• 1 Medium Cured Atabafado Goat’s Cheese (230 g)
• 180 g Cured Sheep’s Cheese Pieces
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of Rosemary Honey with Honeycomb from Serra de Portel
• A drizzle of Galega extra virgin olive oil
• Toasted walnuts or almonds (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Take the cheeses out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving so they reach room temperature and release their full aroma.
2. Wash and dry the grapes. Leave them in small bunches for a prettier presentation.
3. Arrange the two cheeses on a wooden board or platter.
4. Place the grape bunches around the cheeses.
5. Drizzle generously with rosemary honey with honeycomb - let the honeycomb rest directly on the goat’s cheese.
6. Add a drizzle of Galega olive oil and the toasted walnuts or almonds, if desired.
7. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and serve with toasted Alentejo bread.

Notes and suggestions

Atabafado goat’s cheese is one of the Alentejo’s most distinctive cheeses. The atabafado technique involves curing the cheese in a closed, humid environment, which slows the formation of a rind and produces a firmer cheese with a more concentrated, intense flavour than fresh goat’s cheese. Paired with rosemary honey with honeycomb from Serra de Portel, the combination is simply irresistible.

For a more substantial version, add a few slices of black pork ham and turn this starter into a complete Alentejo cheeseboard.

"In the Alentejo, the table is always an invitation - and cheese is always the best excuse to stay."

For another starter with fruit, discover our melon with black pork ham and pumpkin jam.