GOAT'S CHEESE AND ROCKET SALAD

The best thing about this salad is the dressing. I sometimes substitute the goat cheese for the double baked ricotta - see recipe in blog. However, it is an amazing salad to serve next to any kind of meat dish. A favourite is Saltimbocca a la romana! - see recipe here. 

INGREDIENTS

250g thick bacon rashers

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 small, round, soft goat's cheeses, about 100g each

100g rocket or rocket and baby spinach leaves

Dressing

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

3 tsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Cut the bacon rashers in thin slices, discarding the rind.

Put in a frypan with a little oil and fry the bacon pieces until crisp.

Drain on paper towels.

To make the dressing, peel the garlic, crush it into a small bowl, then whisk in the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. (I put all dressing ingredients in a small glass jar, and shake it until combined.)

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut the goat's cheeses in half horizontally and place the rounds on the paper.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and turns a toasty brown on top.

Meanwhile, put the rocket into a mixing bowl with the bacon. Pour over the dressing and toss lightly, then arrange in circles on individual plates.

(Add some croutons if using - see below.)

Remove the cheese from the oven, place one round in the centre of each salad and serve immediately.

For a vegetarian version, use lightly toasted pine nuts or almonds instead of the bacon.

Serves 4

I sometimes add some croutons for crunchiness. This time I crunched rice and corn cakes into small bits and added some Sicilian spices and a bit of olive oil. Mixed it all in a bowl and then put on a tray lined with baking paper under the grill for a couple of minutes or until crunchy. You can also do the same using bread. The croutons are not too greasy and therefore healthier.