Featured Recipe
Onion Goat Cheese Salad
By Kate
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A robust salad combining sweet cooked onion rings with creamy goat cheese and peppery greens. Subtle umami from tamari vinegar dressing balances freshness. Toasted baguette slices add crunch. Slight caramelization on onions, delicate melting goat cheese, crisp mesclun leaves. Simple but demands attention on textures and temperatures. Keeps ingredients balanced, highlights each element without overloading. A restrained vinaigrette featuring sherry vinegar and maple syrup replaces balsamic and brown sugar, bringing a mellow acidic sweetness with an earthy note. Onion replaced with shallot for sharper bite. Good for a quick but composed starter or light lunch.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
7 min
Total:
32 min
Serves:
4 servings
salad
goat cheese
vegetarian
starter
Introduction
Sweet rings of lightly charred shallot, soft and yielding, tint the plate. The scent of olive oil mingles with the sharp earthiness of goat cheese cut into thin slices. A lively mesclun mix dressed in a tangy vinaigrette with subtle umami notes. Crunch from crostini toasted until golden delivers a contrast. Preparing this salad demands attention — don’t let the onions steam or overcook; you want gentle silkiness with caramel hints, not mush. The vinaigrette replaces sugars with maple syrup; acid swap from balsamic to sherry vinegar shifts the whole profile. Textures matter here: soft cheese, tender greens, crisp bread, melting shallots. A salad but layered with intention.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 70 ml (1/3 cup) sherry vinegar
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) tamari sauce
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) pure maple syrup
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and sliced in 2 cm (3/4 in) thick rings
- 35 ml (2 1/3 tbsp) olive oil
- 1.5 liters (6 cups) peppery mesclun greens
- 150 g goat cheese log, thinly sliced (soft rind ripened cheese)
- 10 crostini, thin baguette slices toasted with olive oil
Salad
About the ingredients
Switched onion for shallot for sharper intensity; cooks faster, watch heat carefully. Use tamari rather than soy sauce — less sodium, richer flavor. Maple syrup instead of brown sugar for a more nuanced sweetness that caramelizes differently. Olive oil provides a robust base for cooking and dressing; quality counts. Goat cheese is a soft-ripened log style with edible rind — slice thin to avoid overpowering bite. Mesclun mix brings pepper and slight bitterness, balancing the sweet-tart dressing. Crostini toasted crisp just before serving, never left to sit or they’ll absorb moisture and lose crunch. Keep all vinaigrette components separated before final assembly for brightness and depth.
Method
Vinaigrette
- 1. Whisk sherry vinegar, tamari, maple syrup together in bowl until syrup dissolves. Hold on side. The balance leans more acidic than typical; adjust later if needed.
- 2. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat till shimmering but not smoking. Lay shallot rings flat — listen for soft sizzle. Leave untouched for 3 minutes so bottom chars lightly and deepens color.
- 3. Flip carefully, cook another 2-3 minutes till just tender with golden spots. Should yield slightly sweet aroma, edges curling only slightly. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Don’t rush — caramelization is key here.
- 4. Remove pan from heat, immediately toss shallots in half the vinaigrette to coat — they’ll soak up flavor and cool. Transfer shallots with tongs to plate, set aside to reach cool/warm temp (about 25 minutes).
- 5. Drain residual vinaigrette from shallots into bowl. Mix remaining vinaigrette into mesclun greens. Adjust seasoning; the greens should feel bright but not overly vinegary.
- 6. Break shallot rings gently apart with fingers, scatter over dressed greens. Arrange slices of goat cheese atop salad. Serve with crostini on side, drizzled lightly with olive oil and toasted until just crisp all over (2-3 minutes in oven, 180°C/350°F).
- 7. To prevent soggy bread, keep crostini separate until plated. The cheese should be cold or room temp to contrast warm shallots; sloppy warm goat cheese alters texture unfavorably.
- 8. Taste final salad for balance. If too sharp, add a whisper more maple syrup or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Final black pepper grind over top if wanted.
Salad
Technique Tips
Caramelize shallots over moderate heat; listen for gentle sizzling, smell for sweetening, and watch edges for subtle browning—not blackened, that’s bitterness. Flip with care or they break into pieces prematurely. Toss immediately in vinaigrette off heat — keeps texture intact while infusing flavor. Chill to cool but not fridge cold; temps affect salad palatability. Separate crostini serve as textural counterpoint — drizzle oil before toasting, not after, to lock crispness. When tossing greens with dressing, handle gently to avoid bruising leaves. Rearranging steps from original orders to match sensory cues and highlight temperature contrasts, vital for final mouthfeel and flavor release. Final seasoning adjustments cannot be overstated; acidity or sweetness needs fine tuning depending on your vinegar and syrup brands.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Watch the shallots closely as they caramelize, listen for that soft sizzling, smell for sweetness. Flip them carefully. Avoid breaking. Too high heat ruins it. Aim for golden not black.
- 💡 Oil coating on crostini before toasting seals moisture. Locking in that crunch is key. Wait until just before serving. Don’t let them sit or they turn soggy.
- 💡 Use good quality olive oil. Can change flavor. Cheap oil can ruin vinaigrette; stick to fresh, high-quality. Experiment with brands for best taste.
- 💡 Adjust seasoning in vinaigrette after mixing. Taste test with greens. Add drizzle of olive oil if it's too sharp. Balance is essential. Use maple syrup for more sweetness if necessary.
- 💡 Shallots cook fast, don't walk away. Keep stirring, check for doneness. Sharp bite adds to salad. For a milder onion flavor, use sweet onions instead. Experiment with vinegars; some are more acidic.
