July 17, 2013

Fresh Goat Cheese Salad

Remember this glorious salad?  It’s funny how fast a year goes by...  What’s even more surprising is that I don’t embrace salads all that often.  It’s probably because my dominant meat lover side usually screams for decadently rich and mostly porky goodness.  But that changes significantly in the summertime.  Remember this family classic?  We eat it almost every day in the hot season.  




Last year, it felt as if we turned to the Warm Goat Cheese Salad for the sole purpose of detoxifying our bodies after a week of undeniable binge eating in Las Vegas.  But it was also because it was summer, a season when I’m instinctively inclined to get rid of the clutter and heavy food from my eating routine and make room for fresh, clean, light, and vibrant alternatives.  I’m also a goat cheese junkie.  And the chief ingredient of this salad is... you guessed... goat cheese.  On top of that, this salad is good, really good!  Yet, I felt that it needed some tweaking and a new spin to make it utterly delicious.    





My new version of the salad, the Fresh Goat Cheese Salad, is a riff on the Barefoot Contessa favorite without the fried element and with a couple of extras.  It’s a snap to assemble; uses only simple and unspoiled ingredients, and I find it to be more suited for the scorching heat than its sister.  Still, the salad is abundant in textures and lovely flavors.  The raisins give it a pleasantly sweet chewiness; the walnuts bring a toasty crunchiness; the goat cheese makes it hearty and creamy; while the drizzle of light homemade lemony dressing adds a touch of acidity.  A no muss, no fuss colorful summer salad, so graceful in its simplicity you’ll be eating it all season long!





Fresh Goat Cheese Salad
Inspired by Salad with Warm Goat Cheese by Barefoot Contessa

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

·         6-7 cups mixed salad greens
·         ½ cup golden raisins
·         Heaped ½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
·         4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
·         Juice of 1 large, juicy lemon
·         ½ teaspoon salt
·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper
·         ¼ cup olive oil
·         Optional: freshly ground black pepper





Instructions:

To toast the walnuts:  Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spread the walnuts on a large baking sheet.  Roast the nuts in the oven for about 10-12 minutes.  Allow them to cool completely. 





Place the mixed salad greens in a large bowl.  Add the golden raisins, walnuts, and goat cheese. 

For the dressing:  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly until the dressing thickens slightly.  




Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.  Divide the salad among plates and add more freshly ground black pepper if desired.    




Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

28 comments:

  1. The toasted walnuts really add a great flavor to the salad!

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    1. Thanks so much and I totally agree – toasted walnuts are amazing and add such a great flavor to the salad :)

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  2. A woman after my own heart! I love goat cheese so much it's almost unhealthy. And, hallelujah for a simple and crisp summer salad! Sometimes the best ones are the simplest, too. This is on next week's meal plan already, but I'm going to pick up golden raisins for an extra touch. Thanks! :) Stay cool!

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    1. Haha... Isn't goat cheese the best? I absolutely love it! Thank you, Katy, and I hope you enjoy this salad :)

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  3. Foarte bun pentru ierbivori.Unde a disparut carnea in America ? Ca de obicei pozele sunt super. Tata te pupa

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    1. Multumesc, tati! E vara asa ca ierburile sunt in voga :)

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  4. Raisins and goat cheese are always a winning combination in my book!

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    1. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment! I love raisins and goat cheese together, too. They really work well together :)

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  5. I feel exactly the same about salads vs. meat, but if you top it with goat cheese, nuts and dried fruit, then that´s a different story! Love this recipe!

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    1. Thank you so much, Paula! I find it difficult to take a break from meat too but I love this salad and it makes me so happy, and the break from meat doesn't feel bad at all :)

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  6. That's a beautiful looking salad and a perfect meal for hot weather conditions. I think the lemony dressing would go so well with the goats cheese xx

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    1. Thank you, Charlie! This salad is lovely especially when it's hot outside and the lemony dressing is really light, which complements the salad so well :)

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  7. What a beautiful salad! We're having cold weather but I'm craving it nevertheless :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Lorraine! I know that this salad works well in cold weather, too :)

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  8. I love goat cheese in my salads. This looks awesome and so healthy and colourful! I must give your salad a try. :)

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    1. Thank you so much for the lovely comment! I love goat cheese, too; it's so creamy and delightful. I think you'll love this salad :)

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  9. Your goat cheese salad recipe looks so yummy! I can't wait to try it this weekend :) Laura

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  10. Mmmmm...what a terrific salad! Simple, but every ingredient is vital and delicious.

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    1. Thank you, Liz! You're so right – it's a simple salad but all the ingredients work together beautifully and make it delicious :)

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  11. what a gorgeous and delicious salad! i just wanna dig right in!

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    1. I wanna dig right in, too :) Thank you, Jenn! :)

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  12. Hi Dana,

    This is truly a timeless classic. I can eat at least two plates of these!

    Zoe

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    1. Thanks so much, Zoe! I find it so easy to eat multiple plates of this salad at once and so does my husband :)

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  13. The goat cheese salad is absolutely delicious! My husband loved your homemade dressing and the toasted walnuts :)

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    1. Ohhh... :) You're so sweet, Laura! Thank you so much for trying the salad! I'm so happy you guys loved it! It's super easy to make including the dressing and don't the toasted walnuts bring it to a different level of delicious? I love it and I'm so glad you do, too :)

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  14. What a lovely, gorgeous salad. I adore goat cheese, walnuts and raisins together. Can't wait to give this one a go!

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    1. Thank you so much, Maria! I love these ingredients together, too. They all work so well! I hope you like the salad – let me know how it turns out :)

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  15. Love the combination of ingredients - walnut and goats cheese, perfect!

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