Wild Mushroom And Green Bean Salad With Goat Cheese Food

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.

GREEN BEAN AND MUSHROOM SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cool, uncovered.
• Finely grate the zest of 1 lemon; combine with the shallots in another large bowl. Squeeze the juice from both lemons on top. Add the mushrooms and toss with 1 tablespoon salt. Set aside.
• Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Sprinkle with the sugar and a pinch of salt and cook until the sugar melts, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the mushrooms and gently combine with the beans, parsley and half the nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.

GREEN BEAN AND EGG SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Thinly slice half the onion; soak in cold water. Mince 1 tablespoon of the remaining onion half; process with the goat cheese, buttermilk, vinegar, olive oil, horseradish, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a blender until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon water if needed.
• Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water; bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Meanwhile, put the eggs in another pot of salted water; boil for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove to a bowl of cold water. Add the green beans to the same pot of boiling water; cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and pat dry. Peel and slice the eggs.
• Drain the red onion slices. Toss in a bowl with the salad greens, green beans and half of the dressing. Top with the potatoes, tomato and hard-boiled egg slices. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
• Per serving: Calories 300; Fat 13.5 g (Sat. 5 g; Mono. 5.5 g; Poly. 1.4 g); Cholesterol 222 mg; Sodium 260 mg; Carbohydrate 31 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 16 g Photography by Antonis Achilleos.
• Photography by Antonis Achilleos

WILD MUSHROOM, ROASTED BEET, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH ONION PURéE

Steps:

• Make the onion purée:
• In a medium sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft. Season with salt, add the heavy cream, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
• Make the mushrooms:
• In a medium sauté pan over high heat, warm the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms, in batches if necessary, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the sage, season with salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden and tender.
• Roast the beets:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Arrange the beets in a large, deep baking dish and drizzle with the oil. Add enough water to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides of the baking dish. Cover with foil and roast until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into quarters. Transfer the beets to a medium bowl, add lemon zest, lemon juice, and chives, season with salt, and toss to combine.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds:
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Arrange the pumpkin seeds on a large, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with walnut oil, and toss to combine. Roast until toasted, about 10 minutes, then toss with salt.
• Cook the peas:
• Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the peas until just tender. Drain, then immediately plunge the peas into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain the peas again and pat them dry.
• To serve:
• In a large bowl combine the mushrooms, beets, peas, goat cheese, and onion purée and toss to combine. Divide the salad among 4 plates, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, and serve.

WILD MUSHROOM SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Put the mushrooms in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, stirring a few times, until soft and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup oil, the vinegar, thyme, and chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette in a small bowl.
• Add the warm mushrooms to the remaining vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to marinate.
• Put the quinoa grains into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for 1 minute. Drain well. Transfer the quinoa to a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon salt, cover the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the quinoa is tender and the water has evaporated, about 18 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes without lifting the cover. Spoon the quinoa into the marinated mushrooms and stir to combine.
• Put the greens in a large bowl, toss with the reserved balsamic vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper. Divide the greens among 4 large plates and top the greens with some of the quinoa-mushroom salad. Drizzle the quinoa salad with the truffle oil, if using, season with additional pepper, and garnish with parsley leaves.
• Spread some of the caramelized shallots over the toasted bread and top with a slice of cheese. Place 3 croutons around the perimeter of each plate.
• Melt the butter with the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the sugar and vinegar and cook until the mixture thickens and becomes jamlike, about 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick to spread, stir in a tablespoon or so of water.
• Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Remove and let cool to room temperature. The marmalade will keep for 2 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

SALAD OF FRENCH-STYLE GREEN BEANS AND GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Juice the lemon. Cut the beans diagonally into broad diamond shapes (any shape will do, but this just looks pretty). Blanch them in boiling water in circa 2 mins and immediately rinse in cold water. Cut the olives into chunks. Mix beans, olives, oil, and lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Crumble the cheese over the salad.