Chèvre Chaud Salad, Limoncello Dressing

Chèvre Chaud over a Salad of  Arugula, Grapes, and Marcona Almonds
Limoncello Rosemary Dressing

How did this fall off my radar? Often, I would serve a Salade de Chèvre Chaud at dinner parties. It’s been years  – but now, fried goat cheese back. This time with arugula, grapes, marcona almonds, and a zippy limoncello rosemary dressing.

Food Network is featuring grapes this week, so I was thinking about foods that might pair well: goat cheese, almonds, lemon, rosemary, arugula, alcohol… Alcohol? Yes – like wine, cognac, brandy, rum. How about limoncello? The dressing is bold, lemony, and definitely zippy.  It adds unexpected character and balances the rich fried cheese. All the ingredients just came together and voilà – this bodacious “adult” salad was born.

Chèvre Chaud Recipe

Form goat cheese into medallions and refrigerate. Dip chilled goat cheese medallions in a beaten egg seasoned with salt and pepper. Then press the cheese into panko breadcrumbs to coat. Fry in hot canola oil over medium-high heat, turning once. When the breadcrumbs are golden, transfer to a paper towel. Season with sea salt.

Limoncello Rosemary Dressing

• 1/4 c. grapeseed oil
• 1 T. limoncello
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 t. rosemary, chopped
• lemon zest, from 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a small jar and shake well.

To serve: place arugula, sliced grapes, marcona almonds, and lemon slices in bowls. Drizzle with the limoncello rosemary dressing. Place warm goat cheese on top.

This week, Summerfest is Featuring Grapes! 

Speaking of grapes. Did you ever wonder why the petite seedless intensely-sweet Corinth grapes are called “Champagne” grapes when the grapes used in making Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier? And these grapes, originally from Greece, are not even grown in the Champagne region of France? It turns out they are called Champagne grapes as a result of a magazine advertisement from decades ago. The beautiful clusters were photographed alongside a flute of Champagne, as a means to market the black Corinth grapes. After time, the image of these grapes became associated with Champagne and the more voguish name stuck.

Summer Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite summertime fruits and vegetables. Be sure to check out the Pinterest Board with over 100,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair! And if this Chèvre Chaud Salad got you in the mood for grapes, you might enjoy taking a peek at other grape-y recipes from some fabulous bloggers below…

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Kale, Grape and Ginger Lemon Juice
The Heritage Cook: Chicken Breasts with Fresh Grape-Wine Reduction Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Grapes with Balsamic Drizzle
Red or Green: Grape and Tomato Salsa
Virtually Homemade: Grape Sorbet
Weelicious: Frozen Grapes
The Sensitive Epicure: Green grapes, Drunken Goat Cheese and Jalapenos on a Toothpick
Domesticate Me: Gingered Grape Cocktail Granitas
Made by Michelle: Quinoa with Grapes, Figs and Caramelized Onions
Taste With The Eyes: Chevre Chaud with Grape Arugula Salad, Limoncello Dressing
Devour: Grape-Filled Desserts
FN Dish: 10 Grape-Forward Recipes