Baked Goat Cheese
with Mesclun, Pears, and Toasted Almonds
Enjoy the fall harvest of pears with this tasty salad featuring rich and creamy goat cheese, crunchy almonds, and spicy mesclun greens.
Makes 8 servings
1¼ pounds goat cheese, well chilled
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1½ pounds mesclun lettuce mix
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 pears, cored and sliced into thin wedges
1 cup almonds, sliced and toasted
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the goat cheese into 16 ½-inch thick discs. Gently coat the cheese with the breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. Bake the cheese until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Allow the cheese to cool slightly while assembling the salads.
Toss the mesclun mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Divide the lettuce into 8 portions and mound each portion on a plate. Top each salad with 3 to 4 pear slices, about 2 tablespoons of almonds, and 2 goat cheese rounds.
