A Throwback Goat Cheese Salad
There are a few things about this salad that scream “trendy foods of the past!” and there is also a classic element, hailing from bistros in France. Trends include the 1980’s American foodie tendency to fry goat cheese and put it in a salad (which is also the classic element, as we totally stole the idea from the French). Also, beets and cheese in salads came into popularity in the 80’s. Honestly I’m glad they did, because I adore the combination. And folks, two words: fried cheese.
A few imperatives for this simple recipe.
Get good goat cheese, season it, and chill the patties for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
Try to get the best lettuces you can, as they are the biggest player here. A mix of textures and colors work beautifully. I really prefer adult-sized leaves for this, but if you can only find young mixed greens, then go for it.
Invest in one great bottle of olive oil that you use only for salads.
Find a brand of champagne vinegar that you like and always have it on hand.
With a little forethought and a few good pantry ingredients on hand, you can have what I consider to be a perfect lunch. And I am totally gifting you my best salad dressing recipe. So, you’re welcome. Please make this salad at least once and let me know what you think!
Salad Greens and Beets with Crusty warm Goat Cheeses
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 heaping tablespoons of a fresh, soft goat cheese made from happy goats
1/4 teaspoon of salt and a grind of pepper
1 tablespoon of minced chives
1 small minced clove of garlic
1 egg, beaten with a spoonful of water, or a beaten egg white
1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs in a shallow dish (panko, fresh homemade, or gluten free-I think panko has the best texture)
2 tablespoons of ghee, canola or olive oil
4-5 cups of washed mixed lettuces.
About a cup of your favorite beets, cooked in boiling salted water, skins on, until tender. Cooled and sliced in whatever way you think is most beautiful.
A small handful of chopped, toasted nuts if you like (I had some leftover walnuts)
Dressing
1 generous tablespoon of very finely minced shallots soaked in
1/4 cup of good champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (creamy)
1 teaspoon of mild honey (or agave or sugar)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup of good EVOO (approximately)
Method
Get a fork and a small bowl and mix the goat cheese with the seasonings. Have a small dish lined with wax or parchment paper ready. Quickly form into four small patties and dip into the egg and then panko. Place on the prepared plate and stick in the fridge for a MINIMUM of 15 minutes, better yet, an hour (sorry for yelling).
Wash and dry your lovely lettuces and make the dressing by whisking everything in a bowl till creamy.
Heat a small non-stick frying pan on medium/low for a couple of minutes. Add the fat and wait a minute. Get your chilled patties and place carefully into the hot fat and cook until each side is golden brown.
Dress the salad leaves and beets and compose in your favorite bowl. Add the goat cheeses and serve with a little more dressing on the side while the cheese is still warm.
A Lovely Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
Nantucket isn’t called the Grey Lady for nothing. On the loveliest of days, all of the houses are grey shingled and depending on the season, the landscape is quite grey as well. Add fog to the mix and you end up with a palette of palest silver to deep charcoal. For this reason, on grey August day #3, it was imperative that I find the best and brightest colors to bring to the table.
Happily, Bartlett’s Farm has a decent selection of heirloom tomatoes at the moment and so I decided to do the easiest and classiest thing and make an heirloom tomato, herb, and goat cheese tart. This falls right into my sweet spot-beautiful, delicious, seasonal, flexible, and impressive. I will tell you immediately that I already had a Dufour Puff Pastry in the freezer when I made this decision. That is the only part of the recipe I am going to be inflexible about (besides the part where you have the best tomatoes ever). Use a puff pastry that is made with real butter! That said, you can add all kinds of other embellishments, or none at all, and make it with only tomatoes, goat cheese (I am in love with this brand), and herbs. Your choice!
Look at those beauties!
I happened to have a few spoonfuls of grated parmesan, a tiny bowl of leftover arugula pesto (see the previous post about squash soup), a jar of tomato jam and a lovely few sprigs of fresh thyme. So those were my embellishments. Do what you like. Buy a container of pesto and use that, make a paste of parsley and chives from the garden and use it. Do you have a small hard piece of gruyere or cheddar that you will eventually toss out? Give it a new life and incorporate it into the recipe. Go wild!
Here’s how.
Summer Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
Ingredients
1//2 of a Dufour Puff Pastry sheet, defrosted in the fridge for 3 hours
1 tablespoon of pesto (or none at all)
2 tablespoons of grated parmesan or pecorino ( or any other kind of cheese, or none at all)
3-5 beautiful and perfect tomatoes, sliced into about 1/4 inch rounds and laid out to drain a bit on paper towels
1 tablespoon of tomato jam, melted over a low heat (or hot pepper jelly, or none at all)
Around 3 tablespoons of very good goat cheese
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme (or basil, or 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, or parsley…or none at all)
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of good EVOO
Method
Preheat the oven to 400° and set a rack right into the middle space. Line a 1/4 sheet pan (or larger sheet pan or cookie tray) with parchment paper. Carefully place the rectangular half of the pastry onto the parchment. If using, gently spread the pesto over the pastry, leaving 1/2 inch of border around the edges empty. If using, sprinkle the cheese over the pesto. Lay your beauteous tomatoes atop the pesto/cheese (or empty pastry) in any lovely pattern you like, leaving the border free. If you like and have it on hand, brush the melted tomato jam over the tomatoes. Crumble the goat cheese decoratively over that and sprinkle with thyme. Salt cautiously and wave the pepper mill over the whole thing. Right before sticking it in the oven, dribble the oil over your gorgeous masterpiece. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the borders are puffed. You want it to get as crispy as possible without looking burned. Serve hot, warm or room temperature and impress yourself or some lucky friends and family.