Peppered Goat Cheese And Walnut Croutons Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a creamy dressing.
• Put all but a large handful of the spinach in a large bowl. Toss with most of the dressing. Add remaining spinach and continue tossing until well coated.
• Serve immediately topped with goat cheese and walnuts.

Steps:

• In a food processor grind fine the walnuts with the pepper and the salt and transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Working in small batches, roll the cheese cubes in the walnut mixture, coating them completely, and transfer them to a tray. The "croutons" keep, covered and chilled, for 3 days. Serve the "croutons" as a topping for tossed green or tomato salad.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them twice during roasting. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Remove the stem from each pepper and cut them in quarters. Remove the peels and seeds and place the peppers in a bowl along with any juices that have collected. Discard the stems, peels, and seeds. Pour the oil and vinegar mixture over the peppers. Stir in the capers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.
• To assemble the sandwiches, spread the bottom half of the loaf with the goat cheese. Add a layer of peppers and then a layer of basil leaves. Separate the onions into rings and spread out on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with the top half of the ciabatta and cut into individual servings.

Steps:

• Goat Cheese Croutons
• In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the goat cheese and butter. Lightly toast the bread. Spread equal portions of the goat cheese mixture on the toast. Trim the crusts and cut the squares in half. (The toasts will have a cleaner edge if you trim the crusts after spreading on the goat cheese.) Set aside.
• Madeira Cream
• In a small saucepan, simmer the shallots in Madeira until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup. Add the cream, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, until the cream thickens slightly. Set aside.
• Wild Mushrooms
• Turn on the broiler. Remove the tough stems from the mushrooms and discard. Slice or tear the mushrooms into pieces. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is bubbling but not browned, add the mushrooms and cook until they're golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Madeira cream. Turn the heat to high and boil for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have absorbed most of the cream. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the 2 teaspoons chives.
• Broil the goat cheese croutons until bubbly and lightly browned. Arrange the croutons on plates and spoon the mushroom mixture over them. Garnish with chives.