When the heat of summer grows oppressive, I like to serve a refreshing salad like this one, with baby lettuces, roasted blackberries and goat cheese crostini, to cool things down.
Roasting the blackberries softens them and brings out their juices, which can be added to the dressing. You can substitute blueberries, raspberries or cherries, if you prefer.
Cut the baguette for the crostini on the bias to create more surface area for the cheese. I prefer a soft, creamy goat cheese like Humboldt Fog. A goat gouda would also be good, or if you prefer cow’s milk cheese, a triple cream or camembert.
Marcona almonds are great for this recipe, but regular toasted almonds or hazelnuts work, too.
Baby Lettuces with Roasted Blackberries and Goat Cheese Crostini
Serves 8
Salad:
16 slices of sweet baguette, sliced on the bias
Olive oil
9 ounces mixed young lettuces, such as red butter lettuce, spinach, arugula
1 cup blackberries
1 teaspoon oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup Marcona almonds
5 ounces Humboldt Fog goat cheese
Vinaigrette:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry or blackberry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Set aside to cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Wash the lettuces and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Cover with a damp towel and chill until ready to use.
Toss the blackberries with a teaspoon of oil and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Roast until the fruit is near bursting, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Make a vinaigrette, by combining the oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon, lemon juice, tarragon and salt. Whisk and set aside or blend in a blender.
Spread 1 tablespoon of goat cheese on each toasted baguette slice and place on a baking sheet. Just before serving, bake the crostini in a 300-degree oven until the cheese starts to melt, about 4 minutes.
To serve, dress the lettuces with some of the vinaigrette, tossing gently to combine. Divide among serving plates and garnish with roasted blackberries, almonds and two crostini per plate.
Bibby Gignilliat is the founder of Parties That Cook, a San Francisco-based culinary event company; www.PartiesThatCook.com.
August 23, 2020 at 08:45PM
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Make a summery salad with roasted blackberries and goat cheese crostini - The Mercury News
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