Spotted in an old Bon Appetit magazine, there’s a fun explanation for this Crazy Goat Cheese Salad with French origins.
In France a salad is usually simple mixed greens with a vinaigrette. The addition of green beans, avocados and goat cheese is apparently what makes this one “crazy.”
This here is no average salad. My family thinks it’s crazy-good! It would make a nice main-dish salad with all of these great additions. I serve it with some grilled chicken, and we are perfectly satisfied… and stuffed. The dressing is a simple one- a sherry vinaigrette with lemon and dijon. It works.
Crazy Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe Details
Ingredients
DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
SALAD
- 1 pound haricot verts or slender green beans, trimmed
- Four ¾ inch thick slices French bread
- 3 ounce log goat cheese, cut into ½ inch slices
- 1 head Boston lettuce
- 1 head red leaf lettuce
- 2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, taosted
Instructions
DRESSING
- Combine vinegar, fresh lemon juice and Dijon mustard in bowl. Gradually whisk in oils. Season salad dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead- cover and refrigerate.)
SALAD
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add green beans and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and refresh with cold water, then drain again. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place bread slices on cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Top bread with cheese. Bake until cheese softens and is heated through, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile line plates with alternating Boston and red lettuce leaves. Mound green beans in center of leaves.
- Cut avocado into thin slices and fan around beans. Place cheese croutes on one side of salad. Garnish with tomato wedges. Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with walnuts.