ALICE WATERS'S BAKED GOAT CHEESE WITH SALAD

Alice Waters's Baked Goat Cheese with Salad image

Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey

Categories salads and dressings, appetizer

Time 8h20m

Yield Four servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

4 rounds of fresh goat cheese, each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup virgin olive oil, plus oil for greasing the baking dish
4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried, plus 1 additional teaspoon dried thyme for blending with bread crumbs
1 cup fine, fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 quart lettuce leaves cut into bitesize pieces (use such greens as arugula, red leaf lettuce and so on)
16 garlic toast slices (see recipe)

Steps:

Place the rounds of goat cheese in a flat dish and add onequarter cup of the oil. Add the thyme sprigs or sprinkle with one teaspoon dried thyme. Let stand eight hours or longer.
Blend the remaining teaspoon dried thyme with the bread crumbs and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the cheese rounds and coat them all over with the breadcrumb-and-thyme mixture. Put them in an oiled baking dish and place in the oven. Bake six to 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly bubbling and golden.
Meanwhile, blend the remaining half cup of oil with the vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour this over the salad greens and toss.
Serve the cheese on warm plates surrounded by garlic toast slices. Serve with the salad.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 884, UnsaturatedFat 42 grams, Carbohydrate 75 grams, Fat 56 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 22 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 909 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams