Heirloom Tomatoes with Panko Crusted Goat Cheese
— Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Luisa’s Catering
Panko, or Japanese bread crumbs, are much coarser than ordinary bread crumbs and create a deliciously crunchy crust — a startling contrast to the hot, creamy cheese. The black lava sea salt adds a nice smokiness and balances out the acid and sweetness of the tomatoes.
*Items marked in green are available from The Gourmet Corner.
Tomato Salad
- 1 lb. assorted heirloom tomatoes
- Palm Island Black Lava Sea Salt, for sprinkling
- ½ cup San Giuliano Balsamic Vinegar
- Mâche petals (or fresh basil leaves) for garnish
Goat Cheese Croutons
- 1 8-oz. log Terroir de France Fromage de Chèvre (Goat Cheese)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 extra large egg, beaten
- 1 cup seasoned panko* (recommended: Ian’s Italian Style)
- Canola oil, for shallow frying
* Chef’s Truc — if using plain panko, mix in ½ tsp each garlic powder and dried herbs (such as parsley, basil, tarragon)
Slice goat cheese log into eight slices. Place the flour, eggs, and panko in three separate shallow bowls. Coat each slice of goat cheese with flour, shaking to remove any excess. Dip into the egg and turn to coat well, and then dip into the panko, turning and pressing lightly to coat well. Place on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to fry.
Slice tomatoes into rounds and set aside. Simmer balsamic vinegar in small saucepan until reduced by about half or is the consistency of syrup. Set aside. When ready to fry the breaded goat cheese, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cheese slices and cook until lightly browned on the first side, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden on the second side. Remove and place on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels to drain. The cheese can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.
Plating
To serve, place 3 slices of tomato in the center of each of four large chilled plates. Sprinkle lightly with black lava salt. Drizzle balsamic reduction around each plate. Place 2 slices of the warm goat cheese on one side of each salad and garnish with mâche or basil.
Tags: goat cheese, salads, tomatoes