Wedding Salad

• Prep Time: 6 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

The bitterness of the greens in this salad is a perfect complement to the sweet tangerine vinaigrette and warm goat cheese. I know this recipe is in the “Romantic Repasts” section, but it is too good not to share! Actually, I created it for our wedding reception dinner, so we shared this salad with 135 friends and family!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces of arugula
• 4 ounces of curly endive
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• juice of one sweet tangerine
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons of fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• salt and fresh black pepper
• 1 green onion, sliced, including the stalk
• salt and fresh black pepper
• 1 pear, seeded, and cut into thin wedges
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts (pignoli)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 4 discs of fresh chevre cheese, 1 inch thick

Procedure

1. Rub the garlic over the inside of a medium bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and tangerine juice, and beat until emulsified.
2. Add herbs and seasonings, and blend well. Add arugula and endive, and toss well. Transfer to serving plates, and arrange pear slices on each plate above the dressed greens.
3. In a low-temperature frying pan, place chevre cheese discs and pine nuts in melted butter.
4. Warm for about 10 seconds without flipping, allowing the cheese to warm without beginning to melt, by basting the cheese with the melted butter in the pan.
5. Crown the salad with the warmed goat cheese and pine nuts, and serve immediately. Yum!