Grilled Goat Cheese Salad

Crunchy baguette with warm, lightly melted goat’s cheese on a fresh salad with mustard vinaigrette: a timeless French bistro salad. Suitable as a light lunch or an elegant starter.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 10 minutes
Cooking: approx. 10 minutes
Total time: approx. 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small goat’s cheeses (or 1 log of soft goat’s cheese, approx. 150–200 g)
• 4 slices of baguette
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (for the bread and cheese)
• 175 g mixed salad leaves (e.g. oak leaf, frisée, rocket)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine (optional)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to the grill setting.
• Wash the salad leaves and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or in a clean tea towel.
• Cut four slices from the baguette.
• Slice the goat’s cheese into four pieces (more slices are fine, as long as each slice of bread gets a portion of cheese).
• Cut the garlic clove in half.
• Finely chop the chives.

Method

1. Rub the salad bowl with garlic
   Lightly rub the inside of a large salad bowl with the cut sides of the halved garlic clove. Remove the garlic.
2. Dissolve salt in the vinegar
   Pour the white wine vinegar (and the white wine, if using) into the salad bowl and dissolve a pinch of salt in it.
3. Whisk the mustard vinaigrette
   Whisk in the Dijon mustard. Then, while whisking, add the extra virgin olive oil until you have a smooth vinaigrette. Taste and season with freshly ground black pepper and, if needed, a little more salt.
4. Grill the baguette
   Lightly brush one side of the baguette slices with the olive oil and place them on a baking tray with the oiled side facing up. Slide under the hot grill until the bread is golden brown and crisp.
5. Grill the goat’s cheese on the bread
   Turn the slices over, place a slice of goat’s cheese on each one and very lightly drizzle the cheese with the remaining olive oil. Return the tray to the grill until the cheese is warm, softens and just starts to colour on top.
6. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette
   Just before serving, gently toss the mixed salad leaves through the vinaigrette in the salad bowl so all the leaves are lightly coated.
7. Divide and serve
   Divide the salad among four plates. Place a slice of baguette with grilled goat’s cheese on each plate and garnish with the finely chopped chives. Serve immediately.