Goat Cheese And Potato Cakes With Watercress And Endive Salad Recipes

GOAT CHEESE AND POTATO CAKES WITH WATERCRESS-AND-ENDIVE SALAD

Steps:

• To make the cakes, place the soft goat cheese in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the cheese to a large bowl and add the potatoes and bread crumbs; mix until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, scallions, parsley and nutmeg and toss with a fork until combined. Season to taste with salt and a few grinds of pink peppercorns.
• Using your hands, form the mixture into balls about the size of golf balls. (You should have about 12.) Flatten the balls into disks about 1/2-inch thick. Place the ground pecans on a plate and coat each disk with pecans. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the potato cakes and cook until nicely browned (lower the heat if the nuts begin to burn), about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
• To make the salad, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, shallots, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Place the watercress and endive in the bowl and toss to coat. Add the remaining grated cheese and toss again.
• Divide the salad between 4 plates and top each with a few warm potato cakes and serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE POTATO CAKES WITH CHIVES

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the shallots, and the garlic with enough cold water to cover the mixture by 1 inch and simmer the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potato mixture, return it to the pan, and steam it over moderate heat, shaking the pan, for 30 seconds, or until any excess liquid is evaporated. Force the potato mixture through a ricer or the medium disk of a food mill into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs, the goat cheese, the chives or scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Form 1/2-cup measures of the mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick cakes, transferring the potato cakes as they are formed to a plate covered with the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs, and coat the potato cakes with the crumbs.
• In a large heavy skillet heat the butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and in it sauté the potato cakes, turning them once, for 5 minutes on each side, or until they are crusty and golden brown.

GOAT CHEESE POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• To prepare potato cakes, preheat oven to 375.
• Add whole, unpeeled potatoes to medium pot. Fill pot with cold water just to cover potatoes; season cooking water well with salt (it should taste like the sea) and bring up to a boil.
• Boil on medium high heat until potatoes are tneder but not over done, about 10-15 minutes. Drain, peel, and mash roughly with a fork.
• When potatoes haved cooled enough to handle, fold in fresh herbs, goat cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix until just combined; pieces of goat cheese should still be visible. Form mix into eight 2 1/2 X 1 inch cakes. Flour lightly and set aside.
• Add olive oil to a large non-stick pan and bring up to medium high heat. Add potato cakes and fry until first side is golden brown.
• Flip onto other side, fry for another minute and place in oven to finish warming through, about 10 minutes.

WATERCRESS, ENDIVE, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and salt to taste and on a baking sheet toast them in the middle of preheated 350°F. oven for 10 minutes, or until they are golden. Transfer the croutons to a salad bowl and let them cool. In another small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the mustard, the thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, add the remaining oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. To the croutons add the watercress, the endive, the goat cheese, and the dressing and toss the salad well.