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Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Raddichio
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Slowly whisk the oil into the dressing until it’s emulsified, then taste and correct the seasonings.
Goat cheese comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Look for herbed cheeses for this dish.
Sauté the goat cheese for 30 seconds each side and then serve immediately.

Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Raddichio

Serves 4

This dish is a successful marriage. On the one hand there's the pungent, earthy flavor of the goat cheese. Then there's the nuttiness of the arugula and the bite of the radicchio. Somehow it seems to be a marriage made in heaven.

Ingredients

Mustard Vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground white pepper
  • 1 cup almond or extra virgin olive oil (or a mixture of both)

Salad:

  • 4 ounces fresh Chevre (log shaped goat cheese), cut into 4 equal slices
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small heads radicchio
  • 2 bunches arugula
Method
  1. Prepare the vinaigrette: Combine the mustard, tarragon, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Correct the seasonings, including the mustard and vinegar, and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, let the cheese marinate in the olive oil for up to an hour with 1 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, the garlic and pepper.
  3. Wash the radicchio and arugula and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with clean paper towels.
  4. In a bowl, toss the salad greens with enough of the vinaigrette to coat them lightly. Divide the greens among 4 large salad plates.
  5. Heat a non-stick saute pan until very hot and add 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese marinade. Add the cheese and saute it over medium heat for 30 seconds on each side.
Presentation

Top each salad with a slice of hot goat cheese. Garnish the cheese with the remaining thyme leaves. Serve immediately.

Wine Recommendation:

It’s always tough to select a wine to do battle with a salad. The problem lies in the vinaigrette. That’s why I’d choose something like a Belgian Trappist ale or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. They’re rich and fruity beers and provide a contrast with the goat cheese.