Zach's birthday was a one nice day of decadent eating.
We started out with Blueberry Pancakes for breakfast, and for dinner we made the the Pork Roast with Creamy Polenta and Braised Collard Greens.
We had purchased some beautiful arugula at the farmer's market that morning, and since the pork took a while to cook, we also decided to whip up a salad to eat as an appetizer.
Zach loves goat cheese, so that was thrown into the mix, and looking for inspiration, it sounded like red onions would be a nice compliment to the arugula.
So we decided to grill the red onions until they were tender and sweet, toss them with the arugula and balsamic vinaigrette, and then serve with discs of fried goat cheese.
The resulting salad was wonderful, but with these components, how could it not be? The sweetness of the onions played well with the spicy argula and the creamy decadence of the goat cheese.
This is definitely not an everyday salad, but when you're looking to splurge, it will fit the bill.
Arugula with Grilled Red Onions and Fried Goat Cheese
With inspiration from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters and How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
Serves 2
1/2 a red onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1 teaspoon olive oil
In a grill pan or large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, sauteing until very soft and browned, stirring often. Remove from heat and reserve.
Goat cheese, refrigerated until very cold
1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat oil over medium heat in a small pan. Combine panko and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Place egg in a separate small bowl and beat slightly. Slice 4 one-half inch discs off of goat cheese. If the cheese crumbles, form into solid discs with your hands. Dip goat cheese discs into egg, and then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating thoroughly. Place in hot oil, allowing the goat cheese to brown slightly on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once browned, remove and place on paper towel lined plate.
1 1/2 cups arugula
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Toss arugula with balsamic vinegar and grilled red onions. Divide between plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with goat cheese and serve.
