Salad With Goat-Cheese Croutons

echo echo's Note:

Adapted from a Gourmet Magazine recipe and tweaked quite a bit. The original called for a kind of chicory, a green I can't easily get and am not that fond of. I suggest that those who want a slightly bitter green use the chicory or escarole. I like it a lot with less bitter greens (sometimes I mix the romaine with mesclun or baby spring greens) and goat cheese packed in olive oil with basil leaves sold at the local farmer's market. If you can't get the oil-packed version (basil optional), blend the goat cheese with 1 Tbs olive oil.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 8 slices French bread , thin slices, sliced diagonally so slices are about 3 inches long (about 1/2-inch-thick)
• ½ cup goat cheese packed in olive oil and basil
• 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
• 16 ounces romaine lettuce or 16 ounces chicory lettuce or 16 ounces escarole
• fresh ground pepper (optional)

Shallot Dressing

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1⁄3; cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Make croutons: Spread cheese on 4 slices of bread and top with other 4 slices. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute cheese sandwiches in oil about 1 1/2 minutes per side until golden. Cut into small cubes.
2. Make dressing: Whisk together vinegar through shallots. Gradually whisk in oil in a steady stream.
3. In a large salad bowl, toss mesclun or other greens with croutons and dressing. Pass a pepper grinder at the table.

Reviews

[Sharon123]

Yum! I didn't have the goat cheese in olive oil and basil so drizzled olive oil on the bread and chopped up fresh basil leaves and put that on top of cheese. This reminded me of panzanella. I sopped up the last of the croutons with the last of the dressing. Delicious! Thank you!