Many of you already know…
I LOVE Cheese!
Cheese this, cheese that, melted cheese on top of this, extra cheese pizza, cheese ravioli…
CHEESE!
Healthy salad + Cheese = Hello, WINNER!
(Oh, and don’t forget the easy homemade vinaigrette dressing!)
For the goat cheese:
* 3 oz white Melba toast (trust me – use this, not breadcrumbs)
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 3 eggs
* 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (I love Jack Daniels’ Honey Dijon)
* 1 Tbsp fresh chopped chives
* 12 oz goat cheese (I used 3 4 oz logs)
* Extra virgin olive oil
For the salad:
* 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
* 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
* 1 tsp minced shallot (minced onion works, too, in a pinch)
* 1/4 tsp salt
* Black pepper
* 14 cups mixed delicate and spicy salad greens (think arugula, baby spinach, and frisee), washed and dried
For the cheese:
In a food processor, process the Melba toasts into fine, even crumbs, about 1 minute. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, and stir in the pepper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and the mustard. In another small bowl, combine the thyme and chives.
Using dental floss (trust me, it works), divide the cheese into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of cheese into a ball. Roll each ball gently through the fresh herbs to coat lightly. Transfer a few cheese balls at a time to the egg mixture and turn each piece to coat. Allow excess to drip off. Gently place the pieces into the Melba crumbs. Turn each piece to coat, gently pressing to adhere the crumbs. Repeat with remaining cheese balls. Using your fingertips, carefully flatten each piece into a disk about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Set on a foil-covered baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes (do not skip this step).
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
For the salad:
Whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot and salt in a small bowl until well-combined. Season with pepper to taste. Set aside.
Remove the cheese from the freezer. Brush the tops and sides evenly with a bit of oil. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the cheese is slightly soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cheese to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and toss to coat. Divide the greens between individual salad plates; place 2 rounds of goat cheese on each salad and serve.
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Smiles in the Kitchen 