A French classic found on many menus around France and so easy to make at home. Use quality ingredients and add a bay leaf to each toasted cheese slice and the salad is taken to another level.
240g (9oz)firm goat's cheeseCrottin de Chavignol (1 @ 60g/2½oz per person, one slice on each toast)
4bay leaves
1teaspoondried herbes de provenceor chopped fresh rosemary
1handfulwalnuts
1lettuce of your choiceleaves washed and dried
2garlic clovesfinely chopped (first clove cut in half initially - see first step)
1tablespoonbacon bits (lardons)
Salad Dressing
3tablespoonolive oil*extra virgin (SEE NOTES)
1tablespoonwhite wine vinegar
1teaspoonDijon mustard
1tablespoonfresh flat parsleyfinely chopped
Instructions
How to Warm the Goat Cheese for Salad:
Slice the baguette or bread or your choice into medium chunks and rub each top with half a clove of garlic.
Dribble a little olive oil on each baguette slice, add half a bay leaf then top with a slice of goat's cheese. Add a walnut and a little more olive oil on top and sprinkle on some herbes de provence or chopped fresh rosemary/thyme.
Place under a hot grill for up to 5 minutes, or just enough to melt the goat's cheese, toasting the extra walnuts around them.
Salad Dressing
Meanwhile, gently fry the garlic and bacon bits/lardons (if using) for about 5 minutes in the rest of the olive oil.
Whisk together the oil*, vinegar and mustard (or shake in a jam jar) with some fleur de sel salt and a few turns of the peppermill. In a bowl, toss into the salad leaves with the fresh parsley. Arrange the salad leaves on each plate. Top with the garlic, bacon, the toasted goat's cheese slices and extra toasted walnuts.
Notes
* I like to use a little walnut oil (speciality of the Dordogne/Périgord region) in this salad - so use half walnut/olive oil.Don't forget to remove the bay leaves just before eating each toasted cheese slice. The taste is so fragrant.To make this recipe vegetarian, simply omit the bacon bits and add a dusting of smoked paprika before grilling the cheese to get that flavour sensation.
Keyword chevre chaud, french classic salads, goat cheese recipes