Herb Salad With Goats Cheese Recipes

CRUSTED GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• BREAD THE GOAT CHEESE: Dredge the goat cheese slices in flour, dip in egg mixture then in crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (or up to 4 hours). This helps the bread crumbs adhere.
• MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: Mix the first 5 vinaigrette dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
• FRY THE GOAT CHEESE: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Fry the goat cheese slices about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain. Set aside.
• ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: In a large bowl, toss the salad with 3-4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette dressing. Divide among 4 plates. Place a crusted goat cheese slice on top of each salad. Sprinkle on garnishes of your choice and serve.

AVOCADO-HERB SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Halve and pit the avocados, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces; add to the bowl and toss. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, chives and 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Gently toss until well combined.
• Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; toss to coat. Spoon the avocado salad over the lettuce, top with the goat cheese and season with more sea salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Find a small, wide-mouth canning jar or small glass vase (3 1/2 inches in diameter by 4 inches high), just large enough to hold the two goat cheeses on top of each other with a little room to spare. Cut each cheese in half horizontally, making 2 rounds from each. (A piece of dental floss makes this easier.)
• Place half of the first disk flat in the jar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with 1/2 teaspoon dill, 1 teaspoon basil, and a few red pepper flakes, and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place another disk of cheese on top and repeat the seasonings, herbs, and oil. Continue with the remaining cheese disks, piling one on top of the other with oil and seasonings in between. When all the disks are stacked and seasoned, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top. Cover and set aside at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve at room temperature with bread or crackers for people to help themselves.

HERB COATED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy baking sheets. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the herbs, lemon zest, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using about 2 teaspoons of cheese for each, form the goat cheese into 1-inch diameter balls. Roll the cheese balls in the herb mixture to coat completely. Arrange the cheese balls on a platter. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over and around the cheese balls. Serve with the crostini. Garnish with herb sprigs.
• The crostini and cheese balls can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese balls.

TOMATO STEAK WITH BAKED GOAT CHEESE AND HERB SALAD

Steps:

• In a small, shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with salt and pepper, to taste. In another small, shallow bowl, beat the egg just until blended. Dip each goat cheese round in the egg, and then in bread crumbs, patting the crumbs in place. Cover and refrigerate the coated cheese rounds for about 15 minutes.
• Center the tomato slices on 4 salad plates and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the cheese rounds. Cook until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Turn them over and cook on the other side until the cheese just feels quivery, about 45 seconds longer, depending on the thickness of the rounds. Place a cheese round on each tomato slice.
• In a bowl, toss the herbs with a light drizzle of olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mound the herbs on top of the cheese, dividing them evenly. Serve immediately.
• Michael's Notes: This salad looks best when the tomato slice and the goat cheese slice are about the same size. So if you can only find goat cheese in small logs, you may want to serve 2 goat cheese rounds to each diner and perch them on slices of smaller tomatoes.
• Be sure you take all the stems off the herbs carefully so your guests can enjoy just the soft leaves.

FIVE-MINUTE SALAD: GOAT CHEESE, HERB AND WHITE BEAN

Steps:

• Place greens into a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the greens and toss. Divide the greens onto 4 plates, top each with about 7 tomatoes, 1/4 cup of beans and 2 tablespoons of goat cheese. Sprinkle with basil and serve.