Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Dried Cherries, and Herbed Baked Goat Cheese
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes freezing
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Herbed Baked Goat Cheese
3 ounces (2 cups) white Melba toasts 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives 12 ounces firm goat cheese Extra-virgin olive oilSalad
1 cup dried cherries 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon minced shallot Salt and pepper ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 14 ounces (14 cups) mixed hearty salad greens 2 Granny Smith apples (medium)½ cup walnuts, chopped coarse and toastedInstructions
- In food processor, process Melba toasts to fine even crumbs, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer crumbs to medium bowl and stir in pepper. Whisk eggs and mustard in medium bowl until combined. Combine thyme and chives in small bowl.
- Using kitchen twine or dental floss, divide cheese into 12 evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; roll each ball in herbs to coat lightly. Transfer 6 pieces to egg mixture, turn each piece to coat; transfer to Melba crumbs and turn each piece to coat, pressing crumbs into cheese. Flatten each ball into disk about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick and set on baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining 6 pieces cheese. Freeze cheese until firm, about 30 minutes. (Cheese may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen up to 1 week.) Adjust oven rack to uppermost position; heat to 475 degrees.
- Remove cheese from freezer and brush tops and sides evenly with olive oil. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and cheese is slightly soft, 7 to 9 minutes (or 9 to 12 minutes if cheese is completely frozen). Using thin metal spatula, transfer cheese to paper towel-lined plate and cool 3 minutes.
- Soak cherries in 1/2 cup hot water in bowl until plump, about 10 minutes; drain.
- Combine vinegar, mustard, shallot, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in large bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Season with pepper to taste. Add greens, toss gently to coat, then divide among salad plates. Sprinkle with cherries, apples, and walnuts. Arrange warm goat cheese on top and serve.
for goat cheese
for salad
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes freezingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Herbed Baked Goat Cheese
3 ounces (2 cups) white Melba toasts
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
12 ounces firm goat cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
1 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 ounces (14 cups) mixed hearty salad greens
2 Granny Smith apples (medium)
½ cup walnuts, chopped coarse and toasted
Ingredients
Herbed Baked Goat Cheese
3 ounces (2 cups) white Melba toasts
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
12 ounces firm goat cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
1 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 ounces (14 cups) mixed hearty salad greens
2 Granny Smith apples (medium)
½ cup walnuts, chopped coarse and toasted
Ingredients
Herbed Baked Goat Cheese
3 ounces (2 cups) white Melba toasts
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
12 ounces firm goat cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
1 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 ounces (14 cups) mixed hearty salad greens
2 Granny Smith apples (medium)
½ cup walnuts, chopped coarse and toasted
Why This Recipe Works
For the best warm goat cheese salad recipe, we found that Melba toast crumbs gave our cheese an exceptionally crisp crust. Freezing the breaded goat cheese rounds for 30 minutes before baking them in a hot oven ensured a crunchy coating and a smooth, but not melted, interior.
Instructions
- In food processor, process Melba toasts to fine even crumbs, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer crumbs to medium bowl and stir in pepper. Whisk eggs and mustard in medium bowl until combined. Combine thyme and chives in small bowl.
- Using kitchen twine or dental floss, divide cheese into 12 evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; roll each ball in herbs to coat lightly. Transfer 6 pieces to egg mixture, turn each piece to coat; transfer to Melba crumbs and turn each piece to coat, pressing crumbs into cheese. Flatten each ball into disk about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick and set on baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining 6 pieces cheese. Freeze cheese until firm, about 30 minutes. (Cheese may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen up to 1 week.) Adjust oven rack to uppermost position; heat to 475 degrees.
- Remove cheese from freezer and brush tops and sides evenly with olive oil. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and cheese is slightly soft, 7 to 9 minutes (or 9 to 12 minutes if cheese is completely frozen). Using thin metal spatula, transfer cheese to paper towel-lined plate and cool 3 minutes.
- Soak cherries in 1/2 cup hot water in bowl until plump, about 10 minutes; drain.
- Combine vinegar, mustard, shallot, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in large bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Season with pepper to taste. Add greens, toss gently to coat, then divide among salad plates. Sprinkle with cherries, apples, and walnuts. Arrange warm goat cheese on top and serve.
for goat cheese
for salad
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