Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese with a Sweet Apple Cider Mustard Vinaigrette
A perfect recipe after spending the day in a fall apple orchard (or reminiscent of)! Swap the traditional vinegar for this sweet apple cider to bring the salad to life, and add a fun mix of textures to any side or meal!
The secret’s in the sauce. There are a few things I’m very passionate about when it comes to quality-good farm eggs, nice tomatoes, quality raised seafood, and harvest apple cider. While this recipe would likely be great with something from the shelf at your grocery store, if possible, try to buy from the chilled section and look for cider vs juice-having a more cloudy look and made from real apples. This taste brings a lot more robust apple flavor forward, and enough substance to overpower the hint of mustard, making a cohesive sauce that’s sweet, not hidden by the acidity. The greens will thank you!
To fry or not to fry. I started this blog by stressing ‘learning together’ not teaching. I’ll own my weaknesses in the kitchen, and frying is up there. I’ve never owned a deep fryer, and couldn’t tell you the difference in frying oils. But I’m a Midwest girl at heart, and hey, who can’t appreciate a good fried cheese curd! This version is a bit of a spin, lightly coating the cheese with just enough crushed walnuts to create a coat, but not a heavy batter. While this may be a bit healthier, it definitely does not make life easier, as the cheese will lose form and be more finicky with temperature. See notes in recipe for freezing prior, but just be warned-medium heat, less time, careful hands, and a great sense of humor!
Do you still have an abundance of your fall harvest stored away for winter months? Try out some of these others:
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Sage
Curried Chicken and Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
Apple, Pomegranate Seed, and Feta Salad with a Balsamic Glaze
Swiss Chard Salad with Feta, Apple, Almonds and a Lemon Vinaigrette
Thanks for following along on this journey with me! I’d love to have feedback on anything you try!
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Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese with a Sweet Apple Cider Mustard Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Kitchen knife
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Several Plates
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Olive Oil Or frying oil
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 4 oz Goat Cheese ideally in log form, very chilled
- 1 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1/2 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider I had raw from an orchard
- 1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 4 handfuls Mixed Greens I added watercress for texture
- 1/2 medium Pear (optional for garnish) Could use apple
Instructions
- Taking half of the walnuts, place kitchen knife horizontally across the cutting board and crush the nuts into a powder. Place onto a plate. Add chopped parsley and a bit of salt and pepper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together apple cider, mustard, and coarse black pepper. Set aside.
- In skillet, heat oil until fairly hot. Slicing the goat cheese into slices, dab onto the walnut mixture until coated and place in pan. Leave on each side until sizzling and golden. Be careful flipping as these will be soft and lose shape easily.
- Remove from skillet and set on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
- Plate greens and drizzle with the vinnaigrette. Top each with a few of the goat cheese medallions and remaining chopped walnuts. Serve with slices of pear or apple and enjoy!*Frying cheese can be an art form. If the desire is a bit more aesthetically pleasing, I'd recommend freezing slices, then coating in a light flour/egg bath before starting the above steps. This will hold the cheese much more firmly.
