Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Weekend Cookbook Challenge #14

Salad is the theme for this edition of Weekend Cookbook Challenge hosted by Tami from Running with Tweezers.

I've opted to make a green salad with a difference from Philip Johnson's Classic E'cco. Made with fresh peas, snow peas and sugar-snaps, baby spinach leaves, fresh basil, mint and parsley leaves and tossed in a tangy lemon dressing it's served alongside warm goat's cheese crostini.

salad

Salad of Spinach, Peas, Mint and Warm Goat's Cheese Crostini
[Serves 6 - sourced from Classic E'cco by Philip Johnson]

155 grams freshly podded peas, blanched until just tender
handful of sugar-snap peas, trimmed and blanched until just tender
handful of snow peas (mange-tout), trimmed and blanched until just tender
150 grams baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
handful basil leaves
handful mint leaves
handful flat leaf parsley leaves
1 spring onion/scallion, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced finely

Lemon Dressing
[Makes 1 cup - can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 weeks]
50ml fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
150ml extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Crostini
1 baguette
180 grams goat's curd or soft goat's cheese [I used Westhaven Tasmanian Goat's cheese]
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Make the Lemon Dressing:

Place the lemon juice, mustard and thyme in a bowl and whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Make the Salad:

After blanching the peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas chill them in iced water to stop any further cooking and to ensure the vibrant green colour remains.

In a bowl, place the various peas followed by the baby spinach, basil, mint, parsley, spring onions and salad onion. Drizzle over with a little lemon dressing and toss well.

Make the Crostini:

Slice the baguette on an angle to give you 12 slices. Toast both sides. Spread each slice with a little goat's cheese then place under a low grill to just warm the cheese.

To serve:

Place a pile of salad onto each plate and position two crostini to the side. Drizzle over with extra virgin olive oil and a grinding of fresh black pepper.

salad

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4 comments

  1. Your warm goat cheese crostini looks heavenly! Fabulous site you have here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like everything I see. Oh, I can taste it right now.

    Paz

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  3. Everything's better with warm goat cheese crostini! Even salad that's not adorned with bacon...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Shawnda - that's very kind of you.

    Thanks Paz!

    Brilynn - some crispy batons of bacon would be perfect!

    ReplyDelete

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