Name: Stone Fruit Salad with Camembert Croutons over Mixed Greens
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons minced red onion; 2 tablespoons chopped chives; 1 tablespoon peach preserves or plum preserves; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 (8-ounce) wheel Camembert , frozen for 30 minutes; 1 large egg , beaten; 10 Melba toasts , crushed fine (1/2 cup); 1 small head green leaf lettuce , torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups); 1 small head red leaf lettuce , torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups); 1 plum , pitted and sliced thin; 1 peach , pitted and sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

This Stone Fruit Salad with Camembert Croutons over Mixed Greens recipe combines sweet-tart plums and peaches with pungent Camembert. The cheese is breaded and baked in the oven so that the exterior is crisp and the interior creamy soft. For the Camembert “croutons,” freezing the crumb-coated croutons before baking ensured that the cheese wouldn’t melt too much in the time it took for the crumbs to crisp. An unexpected ingredient in the dressing, peach or plum preserves, added a real boost of sweet-tart flavor. We found semi-firm fruit ideal for this stone fruit salad recipe; otherwise it was very difficult to slice it into neat, thin slices. We recommend a very sharp tin-bladed paring knife for the cleanest cuts. Try to find freestone peaches to make pitting easy.

Before You Begin

For a quicker version of this salad, omit the cheese croutons.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk vinegar, onion, 1 tablespoon chives, preserves, and 1 teaspoon mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper.

Trim rind from cheese; cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Set 12 cubes aside; reserve rest of cheese for another use.

Mix egg and remaining teaspoon mustard in bowl. Mix Melba crumbs, remaining chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in second bowl. Dip cheese cubes in egg mixture, roll in crumbs, and place on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 15 minutes.

Bake cheese until light golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Toss lettuces with dressing and divide among plates. Top each portion with several slices of fruit and 2 or 3 Camembert croutons. Serve.