Farmers Market Salad With Spiced Goat Cheese Rounds Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the walnuts on a sheet tray and cook until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes, and then cool to handle. Chop the walnuts and reserve.
• In a medium bowl combine the olive oil, miso, vinegar, honey and a pinch of pepper. Whisk until well blended. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and more pepper if necessary.
• In a large bowl combine the greens, pears, feta and toasted walnuts. Add the dressing and toss to evenly coat. Transfer the salad to serving plates and serve immediately.

Steps:

• FOR GOAT CHEESE ROUNDS
• Line baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Mix first 6 ingredients in shallow bowl. Dip cut slices of goat cheese rounds into spice mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until ready to serve.
• FOR VINAIGRETTE
• Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
• FOR SALAD
• Steam potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate; cool. Steam green beans until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water; drain. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine greens and basil in large bowl. Add enough vinaigrette to coat lightly; toss. Arrange on large platter. Add potatoes and green beans to same large bowl; add remaining dressing and toss. Arrange potatoes and beans atop greens. Scatter tomatoes and olives over. Surround with goat cheese rounds.

Steps:

• To make the salad, steam the potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate; cool. Steam the green beans and snap peas until crisptender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water; drain. Pat dry with paper towels. DO AHEAD Potatoes, green beans and snap peas can be made 6 hours ahead. Wrap separately in paper towels. Place in resealable plastic bag; chill. DO AHEAD Tear rinsed and dried salad greens into bite size pieces and combine with basil in resealable plastic bag and chill.
• DO AHEAD Coarse chop red bell pepper and chill.
• To make Vinaigrette, mix first 7 ingredients in a glass jar with tight fitting screw top lid. Tighten the lid and shake rapidly to mix. Gradually add olive oil in several batches, shaking the sealed jar after each addition to create an emulsion. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to balance (necessary as different brands of mustard, wine vinegar and oil will give different flavor results and some mustards require more sugar to balance) DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Seal jar and chill. Reshake before using.
• To make the Goat Cheese Rounds, first line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Slice cheese log into rounds about 1/3 inch think and dip cut sides into spice mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until ready to serve. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving or may be heated on baking sheet at 375 degrees until warm but not melted - about 10 minutes.
• To serve, combine greens and basil in large bowl. Shake vinaigrette and add enough to coat lightly; toss the greens and arrange on a large platter. Next add the potatoes, green beans and snap peas to the same large bowl; add remaining dressing, toss to coat and arrange atop the greens. Scatter the tomatoes, chopped red pepper and olives over the top and surround with the goat cheese rounds.