Goat Cheese Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette – Inspired by Alice Waters
Feb 28, 2024, Updated Mar 07, 2024
Goat Cheese Medallions are Coated with Crispy Quinoa over Lettuces and Vegetables and Drizzled with a Zesty Blood Orange Vinaigrette. Gluten Free. This vibrant salad is one of my favorites.
My take on Alice Water’s Goat Cheese Salad served at Chez Panisse, Berkeley, CA.
Alice’s iconic salad coats the goat cheese medallions with breadcrumbs and thyme – which gets warmed in the oven.
My Recipe: Goat Cheese Medallions are coated with Crispy Quinoa and warmed through, added to the salad – a delicious gluten free approach – with a brilliant Blood Orange Vinaigrette.
My Method:
- I’m marinating the Goat Cheese Medallions with EVOO and Fresh Thyme for just 10 minutes.
- Toast cooked Quinoa in a little EVOO until crispy
- Dredge the goat cheese with the Crispy Quinoa and place in the oven until just warmed through
- Serve the Crispy Quinoa Coated Goat Cheese Medallions over lettuces, vegetables and blood orange slices
- Drizzle my Blood Orange Vinaigrette over the Salad
Well I found this bag of oranges hilarious!
What’s funny is… THEY ARE BLOOD ORANGES… WITH A NEW NAME! (That’s new!)
Perhaps a more pleasing alternative name to the typical “blood orange.”
Blood Oranges:
- An orange with a deep, rich reddish-magenta color with a more intense berry flavor, slightly tangy orange with a full-flavor profile
- Each bite is a delightful symphony of refreshing zest and juicy goodness
- They contain the antioxidant called anthocyanin and loaded with vitamin C
- If you ask me – wonderful to use a fruit with this naturally vibrant color!
- Blood Oranges (Raspberry Oranges) are available December through June
Make the Blood Orange Vinaigrette:
I’m loving all the ELEMENTS of the salad!
Today, wonderful lettuces and greens are available organic… and washed! Take advantage of this healthy choice.
Cutting Green Beans in half horizontally adds a terrific eye appeal and interest (I blanch them.)
Such delicious flavor in every bite! The tangy-sweet Blood Orange Vinaigrette (recipe) pairs so well – drizzle all over!
For a heartier main course you could up the protein with grilled shrimp, chicken or veggie proteins.
Alice (Waters that is…) likes to add garlic toasts/croutons.
Alice Waters was the first woman named “Best Chef in America” in 1992 by the James Beard Foundation.
Her search for good food within what was otherwise a “fast food culture” led her to develop a network of local, organic farmers to supply the restaurant, and to become one of the country’s most ardent advocates for organic food. She is the founder of the Edible Schoolyard Project. Alice has started a national movement toward local, organic, sustainably sourced ingredients. I’m so impressed!
I hope you love and devour this salad… as much as I do!
Karen
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Inspiration: See all my ZESTY CITRUS RECIPES !
Karen's Goat Cheese Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette - Inspired by Alice Waters
Goat Cheese Medallions are Coated with Crispy Quinoa over Lettuces and Vegetables and Drizzled with a Zesty Blood Orange Vinaigrette. Gluten Free. This vibrant salad is one of my favorites!
Ingredients
Goat Cheese Medallions:
- 3 ounces goat cheese, cut from log
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cooked quinoa
- 2 pinches sea salt
Salad Ingredients:
- 6 cups baby red butter lettuce leaves, or you favorite salad (I use organic, pre-washed)
- 1 cup arugula, or you favorite salad (I use organic, pre-washed)
- 1/4 cup watermelon radish, peeled, sliced thinly
- 12 fresh green beans, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/3 cup colorful cherry tomatoes
- 1 recipe Karen's Blood Orange Vinaigrette , see recipe
Instructions
- Cut goat cheese from the log into about 3/4 inch slices. Add to a plate, drizzle 2 teaspoons of evoo, over and under; top evenly with chopped thyme. Set aside 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Add reserved 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil to a small stick proof skillet, set temperature medium- low. When hot, add 3 T. cooked quinoa and toss in the oil. Cook until crispy and pops a bit for 3 minutes. (Should be crispy, but not hard.) Remove from heat, sprinkle with 2 pinches of sea salt; add to a small bowl.
- Dip each cut piece of goat cheese into the quinoa to coat on both sides. (Does not need to be coated too thoroughly.) Add to a parchment or foiled lined small baking pan. Set aside until salad is compiled.
- *Blanch the cut green beans. To one large serving platter or 4 individual plates - add the lettuce, arugula, watermelon radish and green beans.
- Bake the crispy coated quinoa goat cheese in the oven and cook until just warmed through, about 4 minutes.Add the goat cheese on the salad and drizzle with my Blood Orange Vinaigrette.
Notes
Blanch the Cut Green Beans: simmer in boiling water 2 minutes; add to colander, run cool water over.
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 149kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 372mgPotassium: 781mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 26960IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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