Featuring Noosa Black Garlic
Creamy. Savoury. Effortlessly elegant.
This beautiful recipe by celebrity chef and local legend Matt Golinski brings together creamy goats cheese, buttery oyster mushrooms, smoky bacon, baby capers and the deep umami richness of Noosa Black Garlic.
Finished with fresh oregano and extra virgin olive oil, it is simple, luxurious and made for sharing.
Entertaining… simple and delicious.
Recipe Details
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
Goats Cheese with Oyster Mushrooms, Smoked Bacon, Capers & Black Garlic
- 300 g goats cheese
- 100 g oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 100 g smoked bacon, finely diced
- 50 g baby capers
- 1 tbsp Noosa Pure Black Garlic Paste or sliced Noosa Black Garlic Cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Cracked black pepper
- Toasted baguette slices or fresh sourdough loaf, to serve
Method
1. Cook the mushrooms
Fry the oyster mushrooms in butter until lightly coloured.
Turn out onto a chopping board to cool, then roughly chop them to be around the same size as the bacon.
2. Cook the bacon
Fry the bacon in the same pan until lightly coloured.
Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir through.
Season with cracked black pepper and allow to cool.
3. Assemble
Spread the goats cheese out onto a serving plate.
Top with the mushroom and bacon mixture.
4. Add the black garlic
Scatter over the baby capers.
Dot with Noosa Pure Black Garlic Paste or Caramelized Black Garlic Paste or slices of Noosa Black Garlic Cloves.
5. Finish
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle over the fresh oregano leaves.
Serve
Serve with:
- toasted sourdough baguette slices
- or a fresh sourdough loaf
Serving Suggestions
Perfect for:
- entertaining platters
- grazing boards
- dinner party starters
- long lunches
- wine and cheese nights
Pair with:
- chilled white wine
- sparkling wine
- pinot noir
- or a crisp lager
Why Black Garlic Works Here
This dish is all about balance:
- Goats cheese → creamy, tangy and rich
- Oyster mushrooms → earthy and savoury
- Smoked bacon → salty, smoky depth
- Baby capers → bright, briny contrast
- Black Garlic → sweet, mellow umami richness
The black garlic adds beautiful complexity without overpowering the dish - bringing everything together with a deep, savoury-sweet finish.
Pro Tip
For a more striking finish, use sliced Noosa Black Garlic Cloves so you get visible glossy black garlic pieces throughout the dish.
For a smoother, more decadent result, use Noosa Pure Black Garlic Paste or Caramelized Black Garlic Paste dotted through the goats cheese.
The Takeaway
Creamy, smoky, earthy and full of umami.
This is simple Noosa entertaining at its best - elegant, flavour-packed and guaranteed to disappear quickly.
Originally featured in the May 2026 edition of Gympie Living: https://indd.adobe.com/view/8ef91eb5-104a-43b8-8a42-9e4c24706c9d