Tomato Steak With Baked Goat Cheese And Herb Salad Food

BAKED TOMATOES WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice off the tops of 4 large beefsteak tomatoes; scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with 1 ounce crumbled goat cheese. Combine 1/2 cup panko, 2 tablespoons each olive oil, grated Parmesan and chopped parsley, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon each fresh thyme and grated lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; sprinkle on the tomatoes. Bake at 450˚ F until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

SALAD WITH WARM GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
• For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.
• Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.
• Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

ROASTED TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Halve and seed the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Lay the tomatoes on a baking rack set over a cookie sheet in the 300 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the skins slip off easily. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, slip off their skins, and brush the tomato halves lightly with olive oil. Return the tomatoes to the oven to roast for an additional hour or until they take on a brilliant, burnished color.
• Meanwhile, slice the Montrachet log into 12 equal-size disks. Dredge each disk of goat cheese with flour then egg then seasoned bread crumbs. Heat a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and quickly cook the cheese on both sides. When all the cheese has been cooked in this manner, divide them among 4 salad plates, alternating slices of goat cheese and roasted tomato halves.
• Combine the remaining olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette and place some salad alongside each serving of tomatoes and cheese.

TOMATO AND GOAT-CHEESE SALAD WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a blender, combine basil, oil, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
• With dental floss or a warm knife (wiped clean after each slice), thinly slice cheese. Arrange tomatoes and goat cheese on a serving plate; drizzle with dressing to taste. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

TOMATO SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Cover each plate with a layer of mesclun or mixed greens. Place sliced tomatoes on top. Salt generously.
• Mix the dressing ingredients into an emulsion.
• Crumble the goat cheese onto the tomato slices.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour dressing on top lightly and add the chopped parsley or basil.

SPICED TOMATO COOLER WITH HERB SALAD AND GOAT-CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• In a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds or pepitas with a little salt to just heat through and color a bit. Set aside for the salad.
• In the same pan, heat the oil with the garlic clove and the cumin, paprika and cayenne, stirring until it smells spicy. Take care not to burn. Set aside.
• Pass the tomatoes through the medium plate of a food mill set over a nonreactive bowl. (If you don't have a food mill, use a cheese grater.) Add 1/4 cup cold water.
• Scrape the spices and oil into the tomato purée, discarding the garlic. Stir in the salt, pepper, lemon juice, Angostura bitters, Worcestershire sauce and cilantro sprigs. Taste for seasoning, cover and refrigerate.
• Assemble the salad: Put the sautéed pumpkin seeds, celery, watercress and arugula, scallion, cucumber and cilantro into a bowl. Dress with the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Toss lightly.
• Divide the salad among 4 plates, with 2 toasts on each. Gently spoon a teaspoon or so of goat cheese onto each toast. Divide the tomato juice (discarding the cilantro stems) among 4 tumblers. Add a sliver of lemon, a couple of ice cubes, a grind of black pepper and a sprig of cilantro over each and serve.