JANUARY BLUES!!

January seems to be my sick month.  I have been fighting a virus all month.  But I think I am on the mend so I will be back updating my posts on a more regular basis.  I have made a great salad that I want to share!  I got the inspiration from the restaurant across the street from where I work.  I changed the dressing because the one on the original salad was too tart for my taste.  I changed it from a Raspberry Vinaigrette to a Champagne Vinaigrette. 

For the dressing you can use Champagne Vinegar or Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar available from Trader Joe’s.  When I make the dressing I use more honey than the recipe calls for because I like it to be mellower and less tart.  I also left out the clove of garlic and the 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.  I felt the lemon juice just added to the tartness and didn’t do anything for the dressing.  Feel free to make the dressing to your taste.  This may seem like a lot of steps, but you can do the pears the day before you want to eat the salad or in the morning.  The dressing will keep on the counter or you can put in the refrigerator (just take out an hour before you want to use it).  Well, here is my take on this great salad.

Poached Pears and Fried Goat Cheese Salad

POACHED PEARS

4 pears, peeled and sliced

1 cup apple juice (100% juice)

1 ½ cups water

1 tsp anise seeds

5 cardamom pods

3 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks or 1 long one

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (the real thing!)

2-5 tablespoons honey

Pour liquids into pan and add the spices vanilla.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and add the sliced pears.  Continue to simmer until the pears are just tender.  Remove the pears from the liquid and place on a plate.  At this point you can drain the liquid and return to the pan and simmer until liquid is reduced and thickened.  I used a couple of tablespoons of this liquid in the dressing recipe to tie all the flavors together.

 CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

1 shallot finely chopped

4 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard

½ cup Champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons of honey (or to taste)

Pinch of salt

Pepper to taste

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until emulsified.  Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.  This is a really simple dressing and is great on your favorite salad!

FRIED GOAT CHEESE

1 egg

½ cup Panko bread crumbs

1 log goat cheese

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Scramble egg in a bowl.  Place bread crumbs in a dish.  Slice the goat cheese into thick slices.  Put olive oil in a pan and heat up.  Dip the goat cheese slices into the egg then bread crumbs, and place in hot pan.  When underside is brown and crisp, flip cheese over and brown the other side.  This process should take no more than 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Remove cheese slices from pan and set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

1 cut cherry tomatoes cut into halves

1 bag mixed greens

Poached pears

Fried goat cheese

Place cherry tomatoes in a bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of dressing and let marinate while preparing dressing and cheese.  Place mixed greens on salad plate; place pears on plate, marinated tomatoes, then fried goat cheese.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of dressing over salad and enjoy!