Baked Goat Cheese Salad

by Table 301,  Tastemaker in Residence - Passerelle Bistro, Greenville, South Carolina

Ingredients

Goat Cheese
Candied Walnuts (recipe below) Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze (recipe below)
Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Fuille De Bric (substitute phillo dough if you cannot find Bric dough at your specialty goods store.)
Arugla

Blueberry Lavender Jam

Ingredients
2.5 lbs. Blueberries
3 Lemons
1 Cinnamon Stick
5 cups Sugar
1 Tbsp Lavender Buds
1.5 oz. Hot Water

Instructions

1. Begin by steeping lavender buds in hot water, set aside.
2. Place blueberries in a large saucepan with lemon juice and zest, sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Stir and allow to cook until temperature reaches 220°. Add the lavender and cool for 20 minutes, then puree in mixer a little at a time.
3. Can be refrigerated for up to four weeks if stored in proper container.

Candied Walnuts

Ingredients
1 lb Walnuts
1.5 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
pinch Salt

Instructions

1. Combine water, sugar, and pinch of salt in large sauté pan. Once sugar is dissolved and the liquid is thickened and has consistently sized bubbles, add the walnuts and stir constantly until all the water has evaporated.
2. Cool.

Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients
1 qt White Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup Pomegranate Juice
1/2 cup Honey

Instructions

1. Reduce vinegar to 2 cups over medium low heat. Add pomegranate juice and reduce again to 2 cups. Add honey, stir and continue reducing until the consistency will coat a spoon.
2. Cool.

Sherry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 cup Sherry Vin
3 cups Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Small shallot
2 Tbsp Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine sherry vinegar, shallot, honey, and dijon. Blend on medium speed and slowly add oil to blender.
2. Season to taste.

To finish

1. Lay out one sheet of dough and brush with melted butter. Place 1 ounce of goat cheese, flattened in the center of bric dough. Add a spoon full of lavender jam on top of your goat cheese. Place another 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the jam, sealing the jam inside of the goat cheese.
2. Fold the dough around the cheese, being sure not to leave any air bubbles, as it will pop in the oven if you do so.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

To plate

1. Dress arugula with sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper.
2. Place golden brown goat cheese packets over the salad and garnish with balsamic glaze and candied walnuts.