Warm Goat Cheese Salad With Dried Cherries And Pancetta Vinaigrette Recipes

WARM GOAT CHEESE AND PANCETTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine dried cherries with warm water to cover. Set aside to soften.
• In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and pancetta. Cook until fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Drain pancetta on paper towels and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Return pancetta to pan and cook until crispy. Add garlic and cook until just golden, about 1 minute. Reduce heat, add thyme and stir well. Add 15 good turns of black pepper. Add vinegar, return pan to heat, and deglaze pan, scraping up all the brown bits that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan. Simmer until vinegar reduces by half. Whisk in porcini oil. Season with salt.
• Put mixed greens in a salad bowl. Crumble the goat cheese over the greens. Quickly toss mixture with pancetta dressing so greens barely wilt. Drain cherries. Add cherries, toss again. Immediately transfer to plates and serve.

GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PANCETTA, DRIED CHERRY AND PORT DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine cherries and Port in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; let stand until cherries swell, about 15 minutes. Sauté pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add oil, then vinegar and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in cherry mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be made 2 hours ahead. Set aside in skillet at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place goat cheese slices on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until warm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine salad greens and pine nuts in bowl. Rewarm dressing and pour over salad; toss to blend. Top with warm goat cheese and serve.

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 DRIED CHERRIES AND PANCETTA VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a large serving bowl, combine mesclun and dried cherries. Crumble goat cheese on top and sprinkle with pepper.
• In a large skillet cook pancetta in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned. Pour off about 3 tablespoons (about 1/3 cup should be left in skillet with pancetta). Add garlic and sauté mixture, stirring, until garlic is golden. Carefully add thyme and vinegar. Increase heat to moderately high and boil mixture 1 minute.
• Add hot vinaigrette to salad and toss. Serve salad immediately.

GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PANCETTA, GARLIC AND FIGS

Steps:

• Place the pancetta in a large skillet over low heat and cook until it has browned and released half of its fat. Remove the pancetta from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add the olive oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium. When the pancetta is hot but not smoking, return it to the pan and cook for a few seconds.
• Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add the thyme and cook just until it makes a popping sound. Stir in the vinegar and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Crumble the goat cheese into the skillet and cook just until it begins to weep. Toss in the greens and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Toss in the figs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the salad in a bowl and serve warm.