Culinary Maidens

Springtime Salads - On the Lighter Side

                      Bartlett Pear & Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients:
1 Bartlett Pear
1 T lemon juice
5 oz pkg Dole Spring Salad Mix
1/4 red onion french cut, thin
4 oz sunflower seeds
6 oz dried berry mix
8 T white wine vinegrette
4 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Serves 4

1. Core and cut pear with skin on into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices in 2 C cold water with the lemon
juice. Soak until ready to garnish salad.

2. Seperate lettuce mix onto four salad-size plates. Begin assembling with 1 oz. sesame seeds each.

3. Sprinkle 1 oz cheese on each plate then dried berries.

4. Finish with thinly sliced onion then pears. Be creative on placement. Make it a work of art to impress your guests. Drizzle dressing on top, about 2 T each.


                    Beets and Fried Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 oz log goat cheese (freezing not necessary for slicing)
6 oz can of sliced beets
5 oz pkg Dole Spring Salad Mix
8 oz sliced or whole candied almonds (or honey roasted)
1/4 C white flour
1/2 C panko bread crumbs
2 T olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8 T Balsamic Vinegrette (recipe to follow)

Balsamic Vinegrette Recipe:

Prepare vinegrette first to allow flavors to marinade. Here's what you need:

3/4 C olive oil
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 T finely mined garlic
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt.

1. Whisk spices and sugar into vinegar until dissolved. Add oil slowly while whisking vigorously. Set aside. Do not place in fridge - the olive oil will coagulate. Store remainder of vinegrette in cool dry cupboard.

2. Before frying cheese, prepare salad. We want to eat the goat cheese warm. Start with arranging lettuce onto four salad-size dishes. Then place 4 beet slices on lettuce bed.

3. Goat cheese is tricky to cut without crumbling. None of the tricks really work, freeze, slice w/ warm knife, wiping between slices. It's a messy business. We find that the best way to approach this is by slicing 6 oz log into six 1 oz slices then cutting those slices in half, with a total of 12 slices. Take each slice and shape with palms into a 1/4 inch thick circle. The warmth of your hands will meld the cheese perfectly. Set aside on parchment paper.

4. Heat 10 inch nonstick skillet with 1 T of oil on high. In the meantime mix spices with the panko breadcrumbs then form an assembly line of flour, egg then panko. Dip the cheese into flour, coating well, then egg, coating well (it may resist in spots, not a problem) then press firmly into panko until completely coated. Set aside on parchment paper.

 5. When oil is crackling begin placing battered cheese in batches, about 4 at a time. They fry quickly, about 30 seconds on each side to a nice golden hue. Set aside on paper towl. Flip with small spatula with fingers to aid in the flip. Add remainder of oil if needed. Place on lettuce bed when all cheese circles are fried. Then sprinkle with 2 oz of almonds on each plate, and 2 T of vinegrette.