Paris Picnic: Warm Goat Cheese Croutons With Beets
Vegetarian cuisine has never looked better! Produce-based cuisine is having a major moment in fine dining restaurants and casual eateries alike. Chef and cookbook author Hetty McKinnon has a new collection of recipes out that let the greenery shine, no meat necessary. These warm goat cheese croutons are the perfect pairing for earthy roasted beets.
A trip to Paris invariably means high salade au chèvre chaud consumption, which is fine by me! In a city where vegetarian food can still be hard to come by, this hot goat's cheese salad has saved me too many times to recall. This is such a beautifully simple salad with the most harmonious flavors. My version includes roasted beets, figs and a divine apple-mustard dressing. Use whatever salad leaves you have on hand for this.
- 6 small beets (about 1 3/4 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 pound baguette
- 7 ounces goat cheese log
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves
- 3 cups watercress
- 3 cups mache (lamb's lettuce)
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- 4 figs
- 1 cup walnuts
- sea salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons apple juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove
- sea salt and black pepper
- Mache (lamb's lettuce): baby spinach leaves
- Watercress: baby arugula leaves
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Spread the beets on a large baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 30–35 minutes until tender.
- Preheat the grill to high. Place the baguette slices on a baking tray, drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and place under the hot grill for 2 minutes, or until golden. Remove the croutons from the grill.
- Slice the goat’s cheese into as many rounds as you have croutons. Place a slice of cheese on the un-grilled side of each crouton and top with a few thyme and rosemary leaves. Return to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the goat’s cheese is soft and golden.
- To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss the salad leaves together with the chives. To serve, arrange the beet slices and figs on top of the leaves, drizzle over the apple-mustard dressing and season with salt and pepper. Top with the goat’s cheese croutons and the walnuts.