Marinated Goat Cheese Salad
Salade de Fromage de Chèvre Mariné
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The country habit of marinating little goat cheeses in herbs and oil
(olive oil along the Mediterranean or nut oil where walnuts do well)
has recently gone global. It is hard to resist when the cheese is
toasted to a bubbling brown, then served on a salad dressed with the
oil from the marinade. Tart salad greens such as arugula stand up best
to its lively taste.
Ingredients:
Fromages de Chèvre Mariné (Marinated Goat Cheeses)
4 small round goat cheeses (about 2-1/2 ounces/75 grams each)
3 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 to 4 tiny dried hot peppers
1-1/2 cups olive oil or nut oil
Salade de Fromages de Chèvre Mariné
6 ounces/175 grams salad greens
4 Marinated Goat Cheeses (above)
8 slices whole-wheat bread
Oil from marinating the cheese, for bru****ng
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons/90 milliliters/3 fluid ounces oil from marinating the
cheese
2- to 3-inch/5- to 7-centimeter round cookie cutter
Preparation:
Fromages de Chèvre Mariné (Marinated Goat Cheeses)
Put 4 small round goat cheeses (about 2-1/2 ounces/75 grams each) in a
1 quart/1 liter/1-3/4 pint covered jar with 3 dried bay leaves, 2
teaspoons peppercorns, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 3 to 4 tiny dried
hot peppers. Add 1-1/2 cups/375 milliliters/12 fluid ounces olive or
walnut oil, or enough to cover them generously. Cover with the lid and
leave at least 2 weeks before using. The cheeses are good for 3 to 4
weeks, but will soften if kept too long. As you use them, more cheeses
can be added to the oil. Makes 4 cheeses to serve 4 people, with
salad.
Salade de Fromages de Chèvre Mariné and Vinaigrette
Wash and dry the salad greens, discarding any wilted leaves. Slice
each cheese in half horizontally. Using a cookie cutter, stamp a round
from each slice of bread slightly larger than the rounds of cheese.
Brush the bread rounds with oil and set a round of cheese, cut side
down, on top. For the vinaigrette, whisk the vinegar with salt and
pepper in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Gradually add the
oil, whisking constantly so the dressing emulsifies and thickens
slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The greens, cheese, and
dressing can be prepared an hour or two ahead.
To finish, heat the broiler. Broil the cheeses about 3 inches/7.5
centimeters from the heat until bubbling and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the greens with the dressing, then taste a leaf and
adjust the seasoning. Pile the greens on individual plates. Set two
rounds of cheese on each plate and serve while still warm.
Source: The Country Cooking of France, by Anne Willan
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