Summer Salads

This week, I was fortunate enough to be invited to assist a great chef at a cooking demonstration. His cuisine du jour? Summer Salads. Twenty-nine eager foodies attended the event and it was a great day. The salads I am going to share over the next few days are courtesy of Chef Doug Ganhs. They are light and fresh, yet highly flavorful. Try them and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Summer Field Greens and Arugula, with a Warm Goat Cheese Cake and Sherry Vinaigrette

First, let's make the goat cheese cake...

Savory Goat Cheese Cake
Yield: 10 portions

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

12 oz goat cheese
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp tarragon, chopped
1 Tbsp chives, chopped
1 Tbsp basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper

METHOD:

1. Combine the bread crumbs, walnuts and butter until well combined.
2. Press mixture into a 10-inch cake or flan pan.
3. Combine goat and cream cheese mix until well combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
5. Add remaining ingredients and combine.
6. Bake in a 300 degree oven until set (about 20 minutes).
7. Let cool completely before slicing.

*NOTE: You can also bake the goat cheese cakes in flexible muffin molds. I think the 2 -oz molds make especially adorable cakes, and will also serve as a great appetizer. Just be sure to lightly spray the molds with cooking spray, as the goat cheese cakes are delicate and susceptible to crumbling.

Now on to the vinaigrette...


Sherry Vinaigrette
Yield: 10 portions

INGREDIENTS:
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp sherry wine
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
3 cups salad oil
white pepper (to taste)

METHOD:
1. Add sherry wine to a small stainless steel sauce pan and reduce by 1/2. Cool.
2. Add egg yolks to a bar blender with the sugar, salt and shallots.
3. Blend until well combined.
4. Combine all liquid ingredients.
5. Add 1/3 of the liquid to the blender and combine.
6. Add 1/3 of the oil and combine.
7. Add the remaining liquid and oil alternating in thirds.
8. If the dressing is too thick, add a little cold water.
9. Adjust seasoning with white pepper.

*NOTE: As with making any homemade dressing, feel free to adjust the seasonings to your preference. I personally love vinegar, and like this dressing to be quite acidic. If you find the vinaigrette too tart, feel free to add additional sugar to cut the acidity. Also, white pepper is much stronger than black pepper, so use it sparingly!

Stop by your local farmer's market and pick up some fresh field greens and arugula and you're good to go. Enjoy!