WARMED GOAT'S CHEESE SALAD WITH PEA TENDRILS
In this winner of a salad, warm, lightly spiced goat’s cheese is paired with crunchy fennel and radish, as well as delicately flavoured pea tendrils from our microgreens stand.
Ingredients
1 x 125g log Soignon goat’s cheese
2 bay leaves
¼ cup pitted black olives
A good pinch of Farro chilli flakes
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 Tbsp for the dressing
¼ cup Pinoli pine nuts
1 fennel bulb
1 bunch radishes
50g pea tendril microgreens, or other leafy greens
Juice of ½ lemon, or 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cut the goat’s cheese into 5mm rounds and arrange them in a small baking dish with the bay leaves and olives. Sprinkle over the chilli and fennel seeds and drizzle over the oil. Put into the oven for 15 minutes until just warmed through. On another tray, toast the pine nuts until golden (approx. 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, thinly slice the fennel and radishes and pop them into a bowl of iced water to crisp up. Drain just before using, then add them to a large bowl with the pea tendrils or leafy greens.
Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to make a dressing. Toss the dressing through the salad. Top with the goat’s cheese and spoon over the olives and pine nuts to serve.
Cook's tip: With sides and salads, fresh is always best – but that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared! Try to do as many steps as you can ahead of time, such as prepping your veg or making your dressing. Then all you have to do is toss everything together come mealtime.