Warm Goats Cheese Salad is a classic starter found in bistros all across France.
ItsFrench BistroWeek!!!
From time to time, I like to dedicate a week of recipes to a theme.
Goat’s Cheese Salad– French bistro starter
This week, itsFrench Bistro Week!!
Todays Goats Cheese Salad is the starter in a classic three-course French bistro menu Im sharing over the week.
Heres whats on the menu!
Goat’s Cheese Salad– French bistro starter
Starter:Warm Goats Cheese Salad Todays recipe, a classic French Bistro starter.
Main:Duck ConfitAn iconic French dish thats so much easier to make than you think!
Its the ultimate make-ahead dinner party dish for showing off.
Duck Confitfor the main withLentil Ragout
If that menu doesnt transport you to the streets of Paris, I dont know what will….!!
Often it involves more butter, more cream and more cheese!
(Think: a pedestrian ham and cheese toastie + the French touch =Croque Monsieur).
Lemon Tartfor dessert
For this salad, that sprinkle of French fairy dust involves some minerally, oozing goats cheese (yes!
), bacon (double yes!
), and not one but two types of nuts!
Bistro in Paris
Its not just the ingredients that make this salad special.
And no, they do not have to be AOC cheeses to be delicious!
Crottin de Champcol The pasteurised version of theCrottin de Chavignoland can be found in Australia.
Available in Harris Farms, Sydney.
Chabichou du Poitou Another cheese from the Loire Valley.
Le Chabichou dAntan Available atLe Petit Marche, Sydney.
Holy GoatLa Luna An Australian ripened goats cheese.
Available at Harris Farms and elsewhere.
Other French ripened goats cheeses that could be used includePelardonandRocamadour.
These may be tough to find in Australia.
What if I can only get the spreadable kind of goats cheese?
If you have soft, spreadable goats cheese, no problems!
Goats cheese without a rind is calledfreshgoats cheese.
Because it doesnt have a rind, you cant pan fry it because it will run everywhere.
Lambs lettuce (aka mache) would also work well.
Crottin des Deux-Sèvresgoat’s cheese used in this Goat’s Cheese Salad
If using oak lettuce, leave the lettuce in larger pieces that you then cut when eating.
Dont skip them, and dont skip toasting (it brings out the flavour).
It really makes a difference to elevate basic dressings.
Goat’s cheese cut in half and crumbed, ready to pan-fry
So use the best you might afford we dont use much in the salad dressing!
Because … well,oozingis the operative word!!
Toast pine nuts and walnuts:I do this in the oven on a tray, for ease.
Creamy “brie-like” interior of ripened goat’s cheese.
If you have a log, then cut off slices about 2cm (3/4) thick.
Dredge in flour following by eggs, and then breadcrumbs.
Set aside ready for cooking.
Pan-fried crumbed goat’s cheese medallions
This is one of those salads that is layered up in the bowl, as opposed to enthusiastically tossed.
Place lettuce first, lay tomato wedges casually around, and then sprikle with nuts and bacon.
This is after all aFrenchsalad!
Picandou (top) is ideal to use for this recipe.
Pan-fry on both sides until golden brown and hot.
Tip:Use a non-stick pan.
Cheese is like glue once it melts and then hardens on a pan!
Finish salad:Drizzle dressing over the salad using a spoon, and finally top with the hot cheese.
Serve immediatelyso you get maximum cheese oozing action!!
Salads are common starters in France, popular with locals and tourists alike.
Example of fresh goat’s cheese
When salads are this good and interesting, its hardly surprising really!
A far cry from the glum, cucumber-lettuce-shredded-carrot garden salads we see back home, right?
For people with a hearty appetite, Id serve with some good quality, warm, buttered bread.
Fresh goat’s cheese does not have a rind.
Try this simple crusty Artisan bread or (if you really want to impress) homemadeBrioche!
As a starter Halve the recipe as written or use the given recipe to serve 4.
As a starter, you only need a small plate of salad with a single piece of cheese each.
(Feel free to still double the cheese, if thats how you want to roll! )
OK, it wouldnt be done, full stop.
But there is nothing to stop you from doing so!
Regular readers know I have a few of these likethis oneandthis oneandthis one.
And its just the beginning….
This is the starter Im offering as part of a three-course French bistro menu Im sharing this week.
Care to take a guess what it is??
*Drum roll …. *
Bon appetit!
Life of Dozer
When I stole Dozers look and he aint happy about it #VisionInBeige
Prevent screen from sleeping
