Baby Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Trio and Sherry Vinaigrette

This salad is as flexible as your taste in cheese and can be varied accordingly. However, goat cheese is richly flavourful, more easily digested than traditional dairy, and widely available.

Goat Cheese Trio

1/2 lb (225 g) plain goat cheese
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp (15 mL) parsley, finely chopped
3 black olives, diced
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 lb (225 g) goat cheese Camembert
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 mL) breadcrumbs or hazelnut flour
1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1/2 lb (225 g) firm/hard goat cheese
6 slices of baguette, 1/2-in (1 cm) thick

Soften plain goat cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add in shallot, parsley and black olives, blend, and add salt and pepper to taste. Use a pair of spoons to create 6 quenelles.

Dredge goat Camembert round first with egg and next with breadcrumbs or hazelnut flour. Wrap firmly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in ovenproof pan over medium and quickly fry breaded Camembert round until golden. Remove from pan and let cool at least 5 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.

Cut firm goat cheese into 6 slices and mount atop baguette slices. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F (180 C) until cheese melts (4 to 6 minutes).

Baby Spinach Salad

1 1/2 Tbsp (22 mL) sherry vinegar
4 1/2 Tbsp (67 mL) grapeseed oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 Tbsp (15 mL) shallot, finely diced
Pinch tarragon, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups (180 g) baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Combine first 7 ingredients for sherry vinaigrette and stir vigorously before tossing with baby spinach greens. Plate and mount each salad with goat cheese trio. Serves 6.

source: "Comfort Cuisine", alive #312, October 2008