The vinaigrette recipe is from Gourmet Magazine (October 1993). The goat cheese croutons are my version of their recipe.
More wonderful Salads and Salad Dressing Recipes.
Please check out my Cabernet Filet Mignon dinner menu, Grilled Rack of Lamb with Pinot Noir Marinade dinner menu, and Veal Scaloppine Piccata dinner menu which includes Greens with Goat Cheese Croutons.
- 2 small heads of Boston lettuce, washed well, spun dry, and shredded fine
- 1 small head of Radicchio, washed well, spun dry, and shredded fine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Walnut Oil
- 2 (3-inch) soft goat cheese (chevre) logs
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs, fine*
- 1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts), ground
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Prepare Mustard Vinaigrette; set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using.
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Prepare Goat Cheese Croutons. Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch slices. Tip: Use dental floss to slice the cheese logs cleanly. Pour olive oil into a small bowl or saucer; dip goat cheese slices into olive oil and coat both sides of each cheese slice. In another small bowl or saucer, combine bread crumbs and nuts; dip the goat cheese slices into the crumb mixture. Place the cheese croutons on a lightly oiled baking sheet. NOTE: The croutons may be refrigerated at this point for several hours.
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When ready to serve your salad, remove prepared Goat Cheese Croutons from the refrigerator. Bake them for approximately 6 minutes or until the cheese softens slightly and the crust turns deep golden.
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While the Goat Cheese Croutons are baking, place your salad greens in a large bowl; toss the lettuce and the radicchio with the vinaigrette. Place the greens on individual salad plates.
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DO NOT OVERDRESS YOUR SALADS - Too much salad dressing will weight down the salad ingredients and mask their flavors. The dressing's role is to highlight not to overpower the salad ingredients. A general rule is 1/4 cup of dressing for 6 cups of greens. As soon as your salad is mixed, taste a leaf to see if there is sufficient dressing. If not, drizzle some more over the salad, a tablespoon at a time; toss and taste again.
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Remove the hot Goat Cheese Croutons from oven and transfer them to the top of the salad greens. Serve immediately.
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Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, shallot, garlic, mustard, parsley, and salt and pepper. Add walnut oil in a stream, whisking until it is emulsified (I used my blender for this).
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch slices. Tip: Use dental floss to slice the cheese logs cleanly.
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Pour olive oil into a small bowl or saucer; dip goat cheese slices into olive oil and coat both sides of each cheese slice.
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In another small bowl or saucer, combine bread crumbs and nuts; dip the goat cheese slices into the crumb mixture.
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Place the cheese croutons on a lightly oiled baking sheet. NOTE: the croutons may be refrigerated at this point for several hours.
