Goat Cheese Vinaigrette Recipes

GOAT CHEESE AND BLACKBERRY VINAGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together the Base Vinaigrette, goat cheese, blackberry puree and chives in a medium bowl until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallots and 1 teaspoon water. Slowly stream in the oils while whisking. Season with salt and pepper.

RATATOUILLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PESTO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• In a blender or small food processor blend all vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Vinaigrette may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring vinaigrette to room temperature before using on salads.
• Make ratatouille:
• Cut eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers into 1/4-inch dice. In a large heavy skillet cook eggplant in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until tender and transfer to a bowl. In skillet cook zucchini, yellow squash, and onion with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, and transfer to bowl. Cook bell peppers in remaining teaspoon oil in same manner and transfer to bowl. Stir in tomato purée, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool ratatouille completely.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and cut a large sheet of parchment paper into eight 5-to-6 inch squares.
• On a work surface put a 3-inch metal pastry ring (at least 1 1/2 high) in middle of 1 parchment square and fill it with 1/3 cup ratatouille, pressing evenly and tightly into bottom. Cut goat cheese into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece to form a 3-inch disk. Top ratatouille in ring with goat cheese disk, pressing lightly at edges to cover ratatouille completely. Transfer round on parchment square to a large baking sheet and remove ring. Make 7 more rounds in same manner with remaining parchment squares, ratatouille, and goat cheese. Bake rounds in middle of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.
• While rounds are baking, in a large bowl toss mesclun with 1/4 cup vinaigrette and divide among 8 plates.
• With a spatula transfer a round to center of each salad. Drizzle each salad with about 1 teaspoon vinaigrette and garnish with tomatoes.

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.

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH BEETROOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the walnuts and sugar until walnuts are lightly browned and sugar is caramelized. Thoroughly coat the walnuts with the sugar.
• In a blender or food processor, blend the beets with cider vinegar, bouillon granules, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Gradually blend in the oil.
• In a large bowl, toss together the sugar-coated walnuts and spinach. Before serving, drizzle with the blended beat mixture, toss, and sprinkle with goat cheese.

GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Several hours before serving, remove the Bucheron from the refrigerator (it should be very cold); pull off the skin that encircles the cheese.
• With a sharp knife, cut the Bucheron into 6 thin slices and place on a large plate.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until ready to assemble the salad. (If the edges crumble a bit, don't worry--put the crumbled cheese aside with the slices.).
• Wash the spinach in a sink filled with cold water, pulling the stems off the leaves.
• Drain in a colander and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Tear the leaves into pieces and set aside in a salad bowl.
• Combine the shallot, mustard, basil, sugar, salt, pepper to taste, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl and reserve.
• When ready to serve, toss the spinach with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette--enough to barely coat the leaves.
• Arrange the spinach on 6 salad plates and arrange a slice of cheese on top of each bed of spinach.
• In a small saucepan, warm the remaining vinaigrette over moderate heat.
• As it comes just to a simmer, drizzle it in equal portions over the cheese and spinach.
• Serve immediately.

GREEN SALAD WITH GOAT-CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Rinse and core the bibb lettuce. Dry the leaves. Rinse and dry the arugula, removing any heavy stems. Rinse and core the radichio. Tear the salad ingredients into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl.
• Remove long stems from the parsley and add the leaves to the salad bowl. Finely chop the stems and add them.
• Beat oil and vinegar together until well emulsified.
• Sprinkle the goat cheese over the salad, then add the vinaigrette dressing. Toss. Season to taste with pepper and serve.

CHICKEN WITH GOAT CHEESE VINAIGRETTE AND PASTA

Steps:

• Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a kitchen mallet to flatten the thick end and create an even thickness. Pat dry, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta, stirring so it doesn't stick, and cook as directed, about 10 to 11 minutes, and drain.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of butter in a large skillet, over medium-low heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, smooth side down, and cook about 9 minutes, until golden underneath. Turn the chicken and spread the tomatoes around the skillet. Continue cooking, turning the tomatoes occasionally, about 6 minutes or until the chicken is done.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the olive oil, the parsley, and crushed red pepper; fold in the goat cheese.
• Divide the pasta between plates. Top each serving with a chicken breast and some of the tomatoes. Drizzle the goat cheese dressing over the chicken and serve.

ASPARAGUS GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA WITH PORCINI VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• Put dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let stand 20 minutes. Pour mushrooms with liquid through a paper towel-lined sieve into a small saucepan. Transfer mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop. Add vinegar, shallots, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and half of mushrooms to saucepan and boil mixture until it is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce can be served warm or at room temperature.
• Make bruschetta:
• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in upper third.
• Stir together remaining chopped mushrooms with softened goat cheese in a small bowl.
• Place a steamer basket in a 5-quart pot filled with 2 inches of water. Steam asparagus, covered, just until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.
• Halve asparagus crosswise.
• Arrange bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush with some olive oil and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Spread goat cheese mixture generously on toasts.
• To serve, place a toast in the center of a salad plate and arrange 4 or 5 stem ends of asparagus on each. Top stems with asparagus tips, arranging them perpendicular to stems. Drizzle asparagus and surrounding plate with vinaigrette.