Chevre, Pesto and Honey Salad; the update

The work has moved to the back of the house.  The upstairs windows still need to be done, as well as the kitchen window (on the left).

The windows in the cellar don’t actually have glass in them, just shutters.

There are shutters and another door into the cellar, below the barn, that still need to be done.

And, of course, the wall to be repaired…..

He did decide to paint the barn door.  The stuff it’s made of lets light in.  Now that it’s painted it won’t.  But it was really ugly.  It was suggested that more lights could be of use.

Glad he decided to paint it.

Remember last week, when I posted about the wonderful salad I had (at a lovely sidewalk cafe) in Bordeaux?

And how I turned it in to a tart made with some leftover phyllo I had in the fridge?

This week I decided I should make the salad.

Naturally, I had to change that as well.

I wanted the salad, but without the croutons.

But the salad wouldn’t be right without the croutons.

Soooo…..

I made faux croutons out of fried tomato slices.

And it was good.

 
Chevre, Pesto and Honey Salad

2 smallish tomatoes, 2 thick slices cut from each
2 tbs bread crumbs
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp liquid honey
4 tsp pesto sauce
4 slices aged goat cheese, 3/4″ think (about 3oz, 90gr)
paprika
4oz (120gr) spinach, torn
handful basil, torn
Vinaigrette
1 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 tbs lemon vinegar
3 tbs olive oil

Put 2 tsp olive oil on a small plate and bread crumbs on another small plate.  Using your fingers, dip each tomato slice into oil, then bread crumbs.  Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet.  Add tomato slices and fry 3 – 5 minutes per side, until light brown more.
Drizzle 1 tsp honey on each tomato slice.  Top with 1 tsp pesto and 1 slice of goat cheese.  Remove skillet from heat and cover, just until cheese is warmed and starts to melt.

While cheese softens, make the salad:  In large bowl whisk vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil. When incorporated add spinach and basil.  Toss well to combine.

To finish: divide salad and arrange on two plates.  Top each salad with two tomato / goat cheese ‘croutons’, sprinkle with paprika and serve.

One cannot eat goat cheese too often….

Or pesto.