The range of goats’ cheeses available in France never ceases to amaze me and I spend most of my time there trying to decide which is my favourite. The result is always the same – an increased waistline and an awareness that even with two lifetimes I couldn’t get around to trying them all!
preparation time 25 minutes
cooking time about 30 minutes
serves 4
Ingredients
125 ml (4 fl oz) olive oil
2 slices of bread, crusts removed, diced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
175 g (6 oz) salad leaves
4 small goats’ cheeses or 4 slices from a goat’s cheese log
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the polenta
600 ml (1 pint) water
150 g (5 oz) polenta
25 g (1 oz) butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
75 g (3 oz) Bayonne ham (or any cured ham), diced
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 First prepare the polenta. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan, then rain in the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is very thick and is pulling away from the sides of the pan.
2 Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the butter, dill, diced ham and nutmeg.
3 Pour the polenta into a buttered baking tray so that it makes a layer about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. Leave to cool.
4 Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan, add the cubes of bread and fry gently until golden all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5 Whisk the remaining olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper to make a dressing. Put the salad leaves in a bowl, add the croûtons and toss well with the dressing.
6 Using a pastry cutter slightly larger in diameter than the goat’s cheese, cut out 4 rounds of polenta. Place them on a baking tray and grill for 3–5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
7 Sit the goat’s cheese on top of the polenta and grill until golden brown.
8 Mound the salad on to 4 serving plates and put the polenta and goat’s cheese on top. Serve immediately.
The polenta can be made well in advance as it needs to set before being sliced and grilled. Serve the salad with a good dry white wine – a Chablis or Puligny Montrachet is perfect.