Warm Goat Cheese Salad With Pear Food

A RESTAURANT-WORTHY WARM GOAT CHEESE SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice the goat cheese into four 1⁄2" disks (a piece of unflavored dental floss makes this job easy). If the cheese crumbles, use your hands to form it back into disks. Pour the bread crumbs onto a plate and toss with the thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Dip the goat cheese into the egg, then into the crumb mixture and turn to coat evenly. Place the disks on a plate and into the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the goat cheese on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is soft and the crumbs are toasted. Remove. While the oven is still hot, toast the walnuts for 5 minutes. Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and pear. Divide among 4 cold plates. Top with the walnuts and goat cheese.

WARM GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PEARS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Mix breadcrumbs and thyme in glass pie dish. Season goat cheese with salt and pepper. Dip cheese into beaten egg, then into breadcrumbs, coating completely. cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead.)
• Whisk vinegar and mustard in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine mixed greens, Belgian endive and pears in large bowl.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and sauté until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate using slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium. Working in batches, add cheese rounds to skillet and cook until crisp and brown on outside and soft on inside, about 2 minutes per side.
• Toss salad with enough dressing to coat. Divide among 4 plates. Using metal spatula, place 2 cheese rounds in center of each salad. Sprinkle with walnuts.

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.

WARM GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PEAR

Steps:

• Slice the goat cheese into four 1/2" disks. If the cheese crumbles, use your hands to form it back into a disk. Pour the bread crumbs onto a plate and toss with the thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
• Dip the goat cheese into the egg, then into the crumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place the disks on a plate and into the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the goat cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is soft and the crumbs are toasted. Remove. While the oven is still hot, toast the walnuts for 5 minutes.
• Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and pear. Divide between 4 plates. Top with walnuts and goat cheese.

GOAT CHEESE PEAR SALAD

Steps:

• Place the goat cheese, mesclun and pear in a large mixing bowl. Heat the oil and pancetta in a medium saute pan on high heat until the pancetta just starts to brown. Remove from heat. Add the garlic and quickly shake the pan until the garlic starts to brown. Add the tomato and parsley and combine well. Add the zin vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Return to high heat and boil. Pour the vinaigrette over the mesclun mixture and toss well. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

ROASTED-PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegars with the salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Slowly whisk in the pumpkinseed oil and then the canola oil. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
• Place pears in a roasting pan that has been lightly sprayed with oil. Lightly spray the pears, and roast for 40 minutes, or until golden and nearly soft. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool slightly.
• To assemble the salad, place the pear quarters in the center of each of four plates. Toss the mesclun with the vinaigrette; then, add the goat cheese in small pinches and toss carefully. Surround the pears with the goat cheese salad. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the arrangement. Drizzle 1 tablespoon pumpkinseed oil over the pears, and serve.