Warm goat's cheese salad
Salade de chèvre chaud, from the goat-cheese country of the Loire and Centre
The Loire Valley and the Centre region, around Sancerre, Chavignol and Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, make some of France's best goat's cheeses, and this salad is how bistros all over the country serve them: rounds of cheese melted on toast, laid over dressed leaves with walnuts and a thread of honey. It is a lunch dish in cafés and a starter at home, ready in 20 minutes. Small crottins or slices from a log both work. Many French goat's cheeses use animal rennet; look for one labelled vegetarian. Chef's tip: grill the toasts with the cheese on top only until the cheese softens and freckles; if it melts flat it slides off and loses its creamy centre.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 8 slices baguette1 cm thick, cut on the diagonal
- 9 oz goat's cheese log or crottinscut into 8 rounds; vegetarian if needed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 5 ½ oz mixed salad leavesfrisée, lamb's lettuce or rocket
- 1 ¾ oz walnut halvestoasted
- 2 tbsp honey
For the dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp walnut oil or olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch black pepper in a large salad bowl, then whisk in 3 tbsp walnut oil or olive oil until it thickens slightly.
Step 2: Heat the grill to high. Toast 8 slices baguette on one side under the grill for 1–2 minutes, until golden.
2 minStep 3: Turn the toasts over, put a round of 9 oz goat's cheese log or crottins on each and sprinkle with 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Grill for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is soft, puffed and browned in spots. Common mistake: using a very fresh, soft cheese, which runs off the toast; a firm log or a crottin a few days old holds its shape.
4 minStep 4: While the cheese grills, toss 5 ½ oz mixed salad leaves in the dressing and divide between plates. Scatter over 1 ¾ oz walnut halves.
Step 5: Lay two hot toasts on each salad, drizzle with 2 tbsp honey and serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does warm goat's cheese salad take?
- About 18 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
- What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?
- Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, same amount.
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