By Ligaya Mishan
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- 5(475)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Some dishes are showstoppers, while others are ordinary, unfussy and exactly what you want on a slow evening when nothing need be achieved or sought after. This is a simple salad, with the smallest exalting touch: rounds of goat cheese coated in beaten egg and the sheerest veil of bread crumbs, then gently pressed in a hot pan until dark gold. They come served over a careless toss of greens — you can add fresh herbs like dill or parsley for featheriness and a bright lift — in a dressing that requires no more than oil, vinegar, mustard and a single shallot. Eat immediately, when the greens are fresh and cool, and the cheese is still warm, faintly crackly on the outside and oozy within.
Featured in: A Meal in France Showed Me the Brilliance of Simplicity
Learn: How to Make Salad
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1cup fine plain bread crumbs (see Tip)
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼teaspoon black pepper
- 1large egg
- 1(8-ounce) log fresh goat cheese, chilled
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
- 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1small shallot, minced
- Salt and black pepper
- ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 to 12ounces crisp salad greens
For the Goat Cheese
For the Salad
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
322 calories; 24 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 352 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Prepare the goat cheese: In a shallow dish, mix the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crack the egg into a separate bowl and beat with a fork. Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the goat cheese into ½-inch-thick rounds.
Step
See AlsoVintage Recipes – Page 4 – nachounderpants.comGreen Salad With Warm Goat Cheese (Salade de Chèvre Chaud) RecipeTasting Table | Food, Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips2
Dip each round in the beaten egg, then dredge in the crumbs until completely covered, and transfer to a plate. Refrigerate until very firm, at least 5 minutes.
Step
3
Meanwhile, make the salad: In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, mustard and shallot with a pinch each of salt and pepper. While whisking, add the oil in a slow, thin stream and mix until emulsified. Add the greens and gently toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper as needed. Divide among serving plates.
Step
4
Fry the goat cheese: Heat a thin layer of oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium. Add the breaded goat cheese rounds and cook, turning once, until dark gold, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then set over the salad. Serve immediately.
Tip
- Add a pinch of minced fresh thyme leaves to the crumb mixture to give the breading a warm, piney contour.
Ratings
5
out of 5
475
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Cooking Notes
Lala
One of my favorite salads for years and I always order it when I find it in a resto. However, a few years ago I dropped the breading and frying of the chevre. Instead, I simply heat part of a log of goat cheese in the oven or microwave with olive oil and fines herbs. Then I plunk the warm soft chevre on my dressed greens and eat with crusty bread. For me, it's the same or even better and reminds me of my years living in Paris.
Bill
A recipe that comes with such an interesting and well written background story behind it makes it all the more enticing. I'm looking forward to making this soon. The dental floss is a practical touch as a stand in for the wire often used at cheese counters, and I laughed at "unflavored" as I entertained (and subsequently dismissed) the idea of using mint flavored floss!
Lindsay
Sherry vinegar is much better than red wine vinegar in this recipe
Philosopher Queen Sharon Esther Lampert
Add sliced warm beets too!
Cece
The essay accompanying this recipe was beautiful, and I can't wait to try this salad sometime soon!
csp
Love this story, totally adds to the simple romance of the dish. I might add a poached egg or two as well when I make it.
Tom Ryan
Great story about why we travel and how the history and culture of a Place can be found on the plate and in the glass. One of the reasons I love New York City is the availability of foods and drink that can allow me to recreate a meal that I enjoyed elsewhere in the world and of course good writing also does this. Thank you for both the article and the recipe.
Michele
“In the maze of the old quarter, we sat at a table outside, on stone stairs descending from another century.” I am rarely in the kitchen as it is my husband’s domain, however, a version of this recipe has long been my contribution to our dinner parties.
Sunny
Michele, that's the perfect line that got me too.
David Lee
Excellent. I just finished it! Followed the recipe exactly and my only regret is that I didn’ make more.
Jan
This reminds me to try and thank all the kind people who helped me when I was a young traveler
Golem
There are no ingredients in this recipe that are not available beyond the provincial boundaries of the Hudson and East Rivers. We have goat cheese, greens, eggs and all sorts of ingredients. We even have Dijon mustard.
Denis
Thanks for sharing! I like mine with lemon juice, a bit of honey, minced garlic and the lemon zest. EVO of course!
richie
Nice saladGreat story
Russ D.
Beautiful essay/intro. Should be expanded into a novel.
CNH
I just made this tonight. Had a balsamic dressing already made. Did the goat cheese as instructed. Added fresh pear (ala the 80's). thinly sliced shallots. Mixed lettuces.
Teresa
Per Alexa, one small shallot equals 11 grams.
Rebecca S.
This was a simple and delicious way to get some greens in. As per a suggestion below, I added pomegranate seeds and found they were a lovely addition!
Exile
Delicious! I added mango slices and might try arugula or all radicchio for the greens next time rather than a mix. This reminds me of a salad I used to eat regularly 20 years ago at a restaurant I worked at. How wonderful to taste it again after so many years!
Charlotte
I find letting the goat cheese come close to room temperature before you cut/slice it helps it stay in clean rounds. I used a knife to cut cold cheese and ended up with a few crumbled/broken pieces. Still delicious!
Halina
I forgot to get beets so used from jar, and added chopped Lucy rose apples, bit of honey and ume plum vinegar to dressing, in addition to fresh tarragon leaves in salad and minced in dressing. Fresh thyme in breadcrumbs of course! Yum :)
kbr
Delicious recipe. I added slivered almonds, roasted pine nuts, and some pomegranate seeds which gave a great sour punch
Bob from Sonoma
I think it works better if you add the salt and pepper (and thyme or other herbs, if using) to the egg before you beat it, instead of adding it to the breadcrumbs.
Gil
The simplicity but yet, complex flavors of this salad are incredible. We will make this again and again.
Deb G
I used our air fryer to cook the cheese coins and added some rotisserie chicken breast to make it a terrific weeknight dinner.
Meagan
So happy to find this lovely and simple recipe! Absolutely delicious! It transported me to my year as an exchange student in Belgium, when I first enjoyed this salad, and haven’t had it since. This will be a regular for me.
ck
Thank you all for talking about the story with such affection. I just found the recipe in a cooking newsletter, not through the story, but your comments made me want to read it. You were right - there is something so generous in it - not only the Swiss friends, but also her painterly like descriptions of them. Sweet, sweet, sweet. I will enjoy the salad all the more because of the story.
Sean
Made this dish exactly as written and it was so simple, yet refined. A perfect light dinner. I will definitely be making this again and again.
Allison LA
Perfect!! How wonderfully inspirational the article and the recipe are! Swan's Way of the NYtimes Cooking! I know it transported me! I served with a cup of homemade chicken broth and a small fillet of Bronzino and of course some crusty bread!
Ken
This is great, and super easy to make. We went with the half the bread crumbs and yolk only, then freezer for 5 min (not fridge). Now its going in our weekday go-to salads.
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