Fresh salad with warm goat cheese

If you want to elevate a salad to something unforgettable, try topping it with rounds of warm, crispy, melty goat cheese. I made this a couple of nights ago using tender lettuces from our garden and it took me to a new place.

Ingredients:

• 1 (11-ounce) log plain goat cheese
• 2 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup dried white bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

• Enough fresh salad greens for 6 servings
• Dried cherries or cranberries, optional
• Your favorite vinaigrette dressing, or honey mustard dressing

Directions:

Pour whisked egg whites onto a plate. Combine bread crumbs and dried herbs on second plate.

Carefully slice the goat cheese into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them thoroughly - at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Five minutes or so before serving, toss salad greens with dressing and optional dried fruit and divide evenly among 6 salad plates.

Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

• Tags
• salad
• goat cheese
• cheese
• warm goat cheese
• fried food
• lettuce
• tango mango
• crisp
• melt