Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon, Candied Pecans and a Balsamic Glaze

I love warm goat cheese. It’s ooey-gooey melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a perfect crunch to contrast from the creamy goodness. And with bacon? Well, we all know everything is better than bacon. And as a not-so-recovering goat cheese and bacon addict, this beauty of a salad certainly gave me my fix. Not to mention, a perfect touch of sweet from the candied pecans. Now, as much as I love to make homemade things – until I find a perfect recipe – we’re just going to have to go the store-bought route for the candied pecans. Of course, we also have some fresh, bright lemon juice, red peppers, cucumber and tomatoes to add a little sparkle to this gorgeous salad. Now, there’s no time to waste: let’s get started.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon, Candied Pecans and a Balsamic Glaze:

(Serving size: 2 salads)

• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup panko
• 3 tablespoons olive oil + 1 extra for drizzling on the salad
• 4 ounces mixed spring greens
• 2 slices of applewood smoked bacon
• 1/4 cup candied pecans
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 of an English cucumber, quartered
• 1/3 green onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
• Juice of 1 lemon

Okay, let’s begin with a caveat to these ingredients: the measurements aren’t scientific, so of course, feel free to adjust to your liking. With that being said, lets start with slicing your small log of goat cheese into four sections. Then, place the cheese in the freezer; it’s critically important that the cheese solidify (without actually freezing it) so that it doesn’t melt all over the pan.

Then, cook your bacon however you like; our preference is in the oven at 500 degrees for about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool. Next, chop your green onion.

Then, mount your mixed greens atop your plate.

Dice the red bell pepper, chop the tomatoes and quarter the green pepper.

Place atop the lettuce.

Add your bacon (after tearing it into pieces), green onion and candied pecans.

Okie doke – since this is prepped, let’s set it aside. We are now going to create our goat cheese station. In a bowl, lightly whisk two eggs. Add your panko to a separate bowl.

Remove the goat cheese from the freezer and heat your olive oil in a saute pan. While the olive oil is heating, coat the goat cheese in the eggs followed by the panko, coating well. Repeat with all four pieces and place in your hot pan.

Let cook for 2 minutes or so on each side, or until golden brown (but it’s critical that we don’t overcook the cheese because it will only maintain its shape for so long). Flip and repeat.

Finally, place the goat cheese on your salad.

Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic glaze and squeeze half of a lemon on each salad. Season with fresh ground pepper.

And there you have it friends: a gorgeous, delicious salad.

But something is surely missing – why yes, the wine! Our choice for this beauty of a salad? The 2012 Russian River Valley Angeline Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and savory with notes of honey and papaya –  perfectly fresh without overpowering the marriage of flavors in our salad.

With that, cheers!