YIELDS:
PREP TIME:
COOK TIME:
TOTAL TIME:
ingredients
2 4 Oz. Slices of Goat Cheese, about 1 inch thick
1 Puff Pastry Sheet from a box of prepared dough, thawed
1/4 Tsp. Herbs de Provence
2 Large shallots, thinly sliced then diced
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 Tbsp. Patricia and Paul Herbs de Provence Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Patricia and Paul Lavender Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Tsp. Herbs de Provence
1 Egg
Salad Dressing
1 Cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. Patricia and Paul Herbs de Provence Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Patricia and Paul Lavender Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
3 Cups spring lettuce
8 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2) Very thinly slice shallots, then dice. Finely mince the garlic. Add a tablespoon of the herbs de provence olive oil to a non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and sauté gently until translucent. (about 1 minute) Add garlic and continue to cook until shallots are soft and the garlic is fragrant. When the mix is starting caramelized, about 5 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar, season to taste with salt and herbes de Provence. Stir and cook for about a minute. Set aside.
3) Cut circles twice the size of the goat cheese round out of the puff pastry. Sprinkle with the 1/4 teaspoon of herbs de provence and roll into the dough.
4) Top each circle of puff pastry with the round of cheese. Top with a large mound of the carmelized shallots and garlic. Fold the pastry up around the top of the goat cheese leaving the onion mixture exposed. Tie loosely with twine to hold the puff pastry in place.
4) Mix the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the outside of the puff pastry to help it get golden brown when baked.
6) Meanwhile make the dressing. Whisk everything together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, add the spring lettuce mix and the cut tomatoes. Dress the salad lightly with the dressing. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
7) Plate one baked goat cheese bundle on a plate with the salad on the side. Sprinkle the plate with a little herbs de provence. Enjoy!
NOTES: This goat cheese puff pastry makes regular appearances at my house for lunch and brunch. It is easy to make and looks beautiful when presented with the salad.
Lets start with the preparation of the shallots. I get asked all the time how to chop shallots. Here is my simple instructions. Remove the skins of the shallots and discard. There is usually two halves to each shallot. You will be using both halves of two shallots in this recipe. (four halves) Seperate the halves and place the flat side on the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the shallots into thin slivers vertically. And that’s how you cut shallots.
You’ll want to cook these in a hot skillet with the flavored olive oil. Cast iron works great but you can also use a non-stick skillet. To carmelize the shallots you will cook them unntil they are golden brown. You’ll want to add the balsamic vinegar so that they get thick and sweet. The balsamic will get syrupy as it cooks.
When it comes to selecting your goat cheese, find one that you like and see if you can purchase the 4 ounce size. I have a lot of goat farms near me in California so I can usually find a great local, artisanal goat cheese at my farmer’s market. However, the Costco goat cheese is pretty good and you can find a decent variety at Whole Foods too. If you can’t find a 4 ounce round, just cut slices off a goat cheese log in the size you want. This recipe is very flexible and can be adapted to the amount of cheese you want to make. You can make these really small and turn them into a two-bit appetizer.
A little trick that adds a ton of flavor is to sprinkle some herbs de provence on top of the puff pastry and then to roll it into the pastry. You are smoothing out the pastry and thinning it out while adding delicious herbs to the pastry. Need a herbs de provence substitute? Don’t have any in the pantry? Use a mix of your favorite dried seasonings like rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, mint and a little lavender if you have it.
In order to get the perfect amount of puff pastry to cheese ratio, I use a small bowl that I place over the goat cheese puff pastry and cut out a circle using the bowl as a guide. Same the outside puff pastry for another use. I top the cheese with a large spoonful of the shallot mixture. Then I gently gather up the sides of the puff pastry creating a little pouch. I leave the shallot mixture exposed in the middle then I gently tie the twine around the puff pastry to hold it together. You can gently spread the puff pastry edges to create a pretty border.
Brush the exposed puff pastry with the egg beaten with a little water. This will make the puff pastry get golden brown when baked.
Pop it into the oven while you make the dressing and prepare the salad.
Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup. Add the spring lettuces and tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well and plate on the side of each goat cheese bundle.
If you like goat cheese, be sure to try some of my other appetizers like my Herbed Goat Cheese, Mushrom and Apple Bruschetta and Pistachio-Cherry Goat Cheese Balls
This recipe calls for specialty olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can purchase both through my shop. If you don’t have those products on hand, feel free to use regular olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (see shop)
Other salad recipes that you might like to try are:
Raspberry and Lemon Salad with Crispy Chicken Croutons
Apricot Chicken Salad with Dill
Red Apple and Chicken Salad with Nut Clusters
