Why settle for an average run-of-the-mill salad, when you can have a salad topped with warm toasted goat cheese and slightly spicy sugared pecans? Add a few dried cherries into the mix, along with a light vinaigrette and there’s no way you can go wrong with this sweet and tangy salad combination.
So, I bet y’all are wondering why I’ve shared two salad recipes in a row this week. First, there was this recipe for Creamy Roasted Asparagus & Pea Salad, which was AMAZING, but now, there’s this tasty recipe for a salad topped with warm toasted goat cheese, spicy sugared pecans, tart dried cherries, and a simple vinaigrette, which will totally blow your mind away. So, why so many salads in the same little ol’ week? Well, first of all, because I totally adore salads, but second of all, because B.O.B. Bob is out of town on work and I’m left to my own devices. This means that I get to have hot chocolate for breakfast every morning, eat pretzels and cheese for lunch, and finally come home to a gussied-up “I’m givin’ her all she’s got Scotty” kind of salad for dinner. As happy as I’ll be to finally have my B.O.B. Bob home again, I’ll also be just a little bit sad that my lovely salad run will have to come to an end. P.S. I’m seriously gonna miss the hot chocolate and pretzels as well.
Ingredients:
Spicy Sugared Pecans:
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
- 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves
Toasted Goat Cheese:
- 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Panko
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
- 1 (8-oz.) Log Goat Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salad Assembly:
- Salad Greens
- Dried Cherries
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Spicy Sugared Pecans:
- Melt the butter, sugar, salt, and ground chipotle together in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the pecans and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet to cool.
Toasted Goat Cheese:
- Place the flour in a small bowl. Place the panko and parsley in another small bowl; stir to combine. Place the eggs, salt, pepper, and chipotle in another small bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Cut the goat cheese into 8 equal pieces. Use your hands to roll each piece of goat cheese into a ball and then flatten it with the palm of your hand. Dredge each piece of goat cheese into the flour, then the egg, and then the panko.
- Place the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toast both sides of the goat cheese pieces in two separate batches.
- Gently remove the toasted goat cheese from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and black pepper.
- Slowly add the olive oil while whisking constantly.
Salad Assembly:
- Place the salad greens on four plates, evenly distribute the pecans among the salads, top with dried cherries, and then drizzle with the salad dressing.
- Place two pieces of warm toasted goat cheese on each salad.
- Garnish with a little bit of freshly ground black pepper.
Suggestions:
- Make sure to watch the pecans carefully when you are cooking them. They can burn very quickly.
- You don’t have to roll the goat cheese into balls if you choose not to do so. I just think that it helps to make the goat cheese pieces appear more presentable.
- You can use any variety of light vinegar in this recipe that you happen to have in your pantry. As long as it’s not a dark vinegar, such as balsamic, you should be fine.
Improvements:
- Serve this salad topped with shrimp or crab meat.
- Use a variety of salad greens for added flavor depth and texture.
- Replace the pecans in this salad with walnuts or almonds.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
- 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves
- 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Panko
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
- 1 (8-oz.) Log Goat Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salad Greens
- Dried Cherries
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
- Melt the butter, sugar, salt, and ground chipotle together in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the pecans and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet to cool.
- Place the flour in a small bowl. Place the panko and parsley in another small bowl; stir to combine. Place the eggs, salt, pepper, and chipotle in another small bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Cut the goat cheese into 8 equal pieces. Use your hands to roll each piece of goat cheese into a ball and then flatten it with the palm of your hand. Dredge each piece of goat cheese into the flour, then the egg, and then the panko.
- Place the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toast both sides of the goat cheese pieces in two separate batches.
- Gently remove the toasted goat cheese from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and black pepper.
- Slowly add the olive oil while whisking constantly.
- Place the salad greens on four plates, evenly distribute the pecans among the salads, top with dried cherries, and then drizzle with the salad dressing.
- Place two pieces of warm toasted goat cheese on each salad.
- Garnish with a little bit of freshly ground black pepper.
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MORE GREAT PECAN RECIPES
Salted Honey Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
Sadie’s Double Pecan Butter Cookies
Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Chile Shortbread
NATIONAL PECAN DAY
Make sure to check out the many other great “National Pecan Day” recipes below. A huge thanks to Books n’ Cooks for hosting this event.
- Derby Pie Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pecan Applesauce Cake by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pecan-Crusted Maple-Mustard Roasted Chicken by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Pecan Pie Cookies by Books n’ Cooks
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Praline Syrup by Palatable Pastime
- Toasted Goat Cheese & Pecan Salad by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
