Lilly’s Luscious Goat’s Cheese Salad

Lilly Higgins shows you how to whip up a sweet summer salad with a creamy heart that’s the perfect accompaniment to fresh, crusty rustic bread…

Baked goat’s cheese salad with pomegranate molasses dressing
Serves 6

YOU WILL NEED
* 6-9 fresh, soft goat’s?cheese crottins
* 100g breadcrumbs
* olive oil
* 400g mixed salad leaves
* 30g flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
For the dressing
* 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
* 6 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* salt and pepper
To garnish
* a few nasturtium flowers, petals picked, if available

METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 180C.
2 Mix the breadcrumbs with about 2 tbsp olive oil. Spread on a baking tray and bake, turning every now and again for 5-10 minutes. They should be crispy and golden when ready. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
3 Next, make the dressing. I find the easiest way to do this is with a stick hand blender, but whisking by hand is also fine. Place the molasses and mustard into a bowl; slowly add the oil until it emulsifies, whisking steadily as you pour it in. It should be thick, glossy and a uniform dark colour. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper.
4 Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil in a saucer. Halve the crottins horizontally into 2cm-thick rounds. Dip each one in the olive oil, covering its surface completely. Next, gently lay it in the breadcrumbs and ensure it’s completely coated. Place on a lined baking tray, and bake for 5-8 minutes until warmed through.
5 To assemble the salad, place a mound of leaves (parsley included) in the centre of each plate; drizzle the dressing over, then, using a spatula, gently place the crottins in the centre. Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread or crackers.

Lilly Higgins for @Image_Interiors

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