Frisée Salad with Baked Goat Cheese and Bacon

A hot disk of tangy goat cheese set on a tangle of frisée is one of the glories of the bistro kitchen. So is a salad of vinegary greens tossed with rich cubes of bacon. At Angèle in Napa, Christophe Gerard marries the two classics in one unforgettable dish. Terrific Green Salads

Total Time:
40 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

  • 2 tablespoons walnut oil

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 4 slices of country bread

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

  • Two 3 1/2-ounce round goat cheeses, such as Crottin de Chavignol, halved horizontally

  • 1/2 pound frisée lettuce (8 cups)

  • 1/4 cup minced chives

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, 6 minutes. Pour off the fat. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the bacon and cook until evaporated.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk the grapeseed oil with the remaining 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, the walnut oil and mustard and season with salt and pepper.

  3. On a baking sheet, spread the bread with the butter. Bake for 6 minutes, or until golden. Top each toast with a cheese half. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the cheese is warmed and soft.

  4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the frisée, bacon, chives and vinaigrette. Mound the salad on plates and set a goat cheese toast alongside. Grind some pepper over the cheese and serve.

Suggested Pairing

The tangy flavors in this salad overpower most whites, but are well matched by a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Opt for a French Sancerre from the Loire.

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