Warm Hazelnut Chevre Salad

By: Chef Ericka Burke

Hazelnut crusted chevre cake ingredients:

Chevre- 2 oz wt

Hazelnuts, blanched- ½ Cup

Panko bread crumbs- ½ Cup

Eggs- 2 each

Half and Half- ¼ Cup

Chevre cake procedure:

1. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 350 degrees. Toast for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, portion the chevre into 2 oz balls. Form balls into disks. Place in refrigerator until ready to bread.

3. Once hazelnuts are cool, place them in a food processor with panko. Turn the food processor on and continue until a slightly chunky breading is achieved. (The nuts should be no larger than 1/8”.) Place in a medium bowl.

4. Beat the 2 eggs and half and half in a medium bowl.

5. Remove chevre cakes from refrigerator. Place chevre cake in egg wash- coating completely. Than place in the hazelnut breading- use hand to ensure the cake is well coated. Set cakes aside, refrigerated, until you are ready to prepare the salad.

Salad ingredients:

Mixed Salad Greens- 1 ½ oz wt (one big handful)

Use a pre-made salad mix or combine what looks good at the farmers market

Red Bosc Pear, cored and quartered, thinly sliced- approx. ¼ pear per salad

Pomegranate Vinaigrette (recipe follows)- 2 Tablespoons per salad.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

Yields 2 Cups

Pomegranate Molasses- ¼ Cup

Pomegranate molasses can be found at gourmet grocery stores or at Middle Eastern markets. POM can be substituted

Red wine Vinegar- ¼ Cup

Honey- 2 Tbl.

Shallot, minced- 2 tsp.

Thyme, fresh, minced- 1 tsp.

Olive Oil- 1 ½ Cup

Salt and Pepper- to taste

Vinaigrette Procedure:

1. In the food processor, combine pomegranate molasses, vinegar, shallot, and thyme. Turn food processor on and puree until combined.

2. Slowly drizzle in oil and continue to puree until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Set aside in a storage container and refrigerate until ready to use. Will hold refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Salad Assembly:

1. Place chevre cakes on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes- until they are warm in the center.

2. Meanwhile, place salad greens and sliced pear in a mixing bowl. Toss with vinaigrette (2 Tbl. per salad).

3. Remove warm chevre cakes from the oven. Using a metal spatula, remove cakes from baking sheet onto salad plates.

4. Place dressed salad next to the chevre cake. Serve.

Tip:

To enhance salad presentation garnish with additional pears slices.

Wine Pairing:

Rose or Chenin Blanc