Goat Cheese Mousse with Red-Wine Caramel

Ingredients

2 cups dry red wine ½ cup ruby port 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 shallot, minced 2 thyme sprigs plus ½ teaspoon chopped thyme 1½ cups sugar 4 cups strawberries, hulled (2 pints) 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest 2 tablespoons water One 11-ounce log of fresh goat cheese, softened 2 tablespoons heavy cream Pinch of freshly ground pepper Crostini and toasted walnuts, for serving

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the wine, port, black peppercorns, shallot, thyme sprigs and 1 cup of the sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Using a moistened pastry brush, wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Cook over moderate heat, without stirring, until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, about 35 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Let the caramel cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, toss the strawberries, orange zest, water and the remaining ½ cup of sugar and let stand until juicy, about 30 minutes. Bring the strawberries to a boil and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened and jammy, about 15 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and let cool. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the goat cheese, cream, ground pepper and chopped thyme until creamy. Spoon the mousse into a bowl and serve with the compote, caramel, crostini and walnuts so guests can assemble their own.

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