Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Olive Bread

This one is an old and a favorite salad recipe from Bon Appetit. The sauce is great, which you can use with any other salad dressing, and the goat cheese turns out to be crunchy outside and silky inside. It is just yummy:)

Don't skip leaving the goat cheese in the fridge for at least an hour. It makes a big difference when you are cooking it. And use dental floss to cut it, it won't crumble or stick to anything, makes it very easy to cut into rounds.

You can make a lot of variations with this recipe. You can use cranberry or rosemary bread instead of olive bread; add prosciutto and make it a bigger meal; add sun dried tomatoes; use herbed breadcrumbs; add some white wine into the sauce. There is just no end to what you can do with this recipe.

Enjoy:)

WARM GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH GRILLED OLIVE BREAD

Ingredients:
Vinaigrette
2 garlic cloves, peeled, halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard

Salad
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 4-ounce logs soft fresh goat cheese, each halved crosswise, halves pressed to 1/2-inch thickness
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 3/4-inch-thick slices olive bread

Additional olive oil
2 5-ounce packages mixed baby greens

Directions:
For vinaigrette:
Place garlic and oil in small glass measuring cup or ramekin. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave 30 seconds. Transfer garlic to small bowl. Reserve oil.

Using fork, coarsely mash garlic. Add basil, vinegar, and mustard to mashed garlic. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in reserved garlic oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature and re-whisk before using.)

For salad:
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Dip each cheese round into egg whites, turning to coat. Coat each with breadcrumb mixture. Transfer coated cheese rounds to plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese rounds and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Brush bread slices on both sides with olive oil. Grill until beginning to toast, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Place greens in large bowl and toss with all but 2 tablespoons vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad among 6 plates. Top each with 1 cheese round and 1 slice grilled bread. Drizzle cheese rounds with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and serve.

Makes 6 servings.