Recently I went to an Irish restaurant with my family and ordered a salad that sounded amazing. When it came I was shocked to see what looked like a big fried chicken patty laying in the middle of my salad. It was breaded fried goat cheese. Not the salad I had envisioned in my head from reading it off the menu that had made my mouth water. So I took what I thought it would be like and recreated it. I didn’t realize the cheese would be cooked but decided to try this version baked as the bite I had, if it hadn’t been breaded and greasy, was good.
I made this salad for my grandmothers and the girls on St. Patrick’s Day and they loved it. I also made a version without cooking the goat cheese, sprinkled with lightly candied walnuts, and that was good as well and like I had envisioned it in my head. I do have to say for dinner I would crust the cheese per the recipe and bake it again when making it in the future.
Mixed Green and Beet Salad topped with Candied Walnut Crusted Baked Goat Cheese served with Cran- Raspberry Vinegarette Dressing
6 servings
1- 1lb tub of Organic Baby Spring Mix (didn’t use whole container for 6 salads, it will depend on size of salads)
18 sweet grape tomatoes
12 small beets (either packaged Organic Love Beets or cooked, peeled, and cooled beets)
11 oz log of goat cheese, sliced into 18 slices
1/4 c raw walnuts
5oz package of lightly candied walnuts, divided, 1/4 cup for crust on cheese extras are optional
Cran Raspberry Dressing below or dressing of choice
*If you want you can use all lightly candied walnuts for coating the cheese in place of raw walnuts.
*Alternatively you can make this salad without baking the goat cheese and just place the goat cheese on the salad and sprinkle candied walnuts on the salad.
Preheat oven to 375 and spray non stick spray (I like coconut oil spray) on a baking sheet. Grind raw walnuts and 1/4 cup of the candied walnuts together until fine ground, press each goat cheese slice into the nut mixture on both sides. Place the nut covered cheese slices on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray again with non stick spray and bake 5 mins or until warmed through.
While baking the cheese assemble the salads putting 2 grape tomatoes sliced in half and 2 beets sliced in half on each salad. When cheese it ready top each salad with 3 slices, sprinkle with optional candied walnuts, and drizzle with Cran Raspberry Vinegarette Dressing. Enjoy!
Cran- Raspberry Vinegarette Dressing
2 c cranberry juice, not from concentrate
1/2 c cranberries
2 c fresh raspberries, divided
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
3-4 TBS honey, used raw organic honey
2 TBS red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Combine cranberry juice, cranberries, and 1 cup raspberries in a small sauce pan on stove and bring to a boil. Once mixture comes to a boil turn down to low and simmer for 25 minutes stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled in a high speed blender combine the mixture with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.