Herbed Baked Goat Cheese Salad
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 10, 2013
Time
1 hour, plus 1 hour chilling and 2 hours freezing
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Salad
1 ½ cups pecans 12 ounces goat cheese, softened2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 large eggs Vegetable oil spray 12 cups hearty salad greensVinaigrette
1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon minced shallot 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon honey ½ teaspoon regular or light mayonnaise ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepperBefore You Begin
The vinaigrette will keep for three days in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For a sweet counterpoint to the herb flavor, add 1 cup dried cherries, golden raisins, or dried cranberries to the salad just before tossing it.
Instructions
- Pulse pecans in food processor until finely chopped; transfer to medium bowl. Add goat cheese, chives, and thyme to food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate cheese mixture in covered bowl until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Using your hands, roll 2 tablespoons chilled cheese mixture into twelve 1½-inch balls. Beat eggs in medium bowl. One at a time, dip balls in egg, then roll in pecans, pressing gently to adhere. Place balls 2 inches apart on rimmed baking sheet. Press balls into 2-inch disks with greased measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
- Combine vinegar and shallot in small jar; let sit for 5 minutes. Add oil, honey, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to jar; affix lid; and shake vigorously until emulsified, about 30 seconds.
- Adjust oven rack to upper position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Remove plastic and spray cheese lightly with oil spray. Bake until pecans are golden brown and cheese is warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes. Toss greens with vinaigrette. Serve warm cheese rounds over dressed salad.
for the salad
for the vinaigrette
Time
1 hour, plus 1 hour chilling and 2 hours freezingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Salad
Vinaigrette
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Salad
Vinaigrette
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Salad
Vinaigrette
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Coating the cheese rounds with nuts instead of bread crumbs added a layer of flavor. We also found that giving the cheese a whirl in the food processor allowed us to incorporate herbs throughout our Herbed Baked Goat Cheese Salad. Baking the rounds in a hot oven for just a few minutes ensures a crunchy coating and a smooth, but not melted, interior. To avoid runny cheese rounds, it was important to freeze the rounds until completely firm before baking.
Before You Begin
The vinaigrette will keep for three days in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For a sweet counterpoint to the herb flavor, add 1 cup dried cherries, golden raisins, or dried cranberries to the salad just before tossing it.
Instructions
- Pulse pecans in food processor until finely chopped; transfer to medium bowl. Add goat cheese, chives, and thyme to food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate cheese mixture in covered bowl until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Using your hands, roll 2 tablespoons chilled cheese mixture into twelve 1½-inch balls. Beat eggs in medium bowl. One at a time, dip balls in egg, then roll in pecans, pressing gently to adhere. Place balls 2 inches apart on rimmed baking sheet. Press balls into 2-inch disks with greased measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
- Combine vinegar and shallot in small jar; let sit for 5 minutes. Add oil, honey, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to jar; affix lid; and shake vigorously until emulsified, about 30 seconds.
- Adjust oven rack to upper position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Remove plastic and spray cheese lightly with oil spray. Bake until pecans are golden brown and cheese is warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes. Toss greens with vinaigrette. Serve warm cheese rounds over dressed salad.
for the salad
for the vinaigrette
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