Fried Goat Cheese Salad

While I was in Spain I developed an undeniable adoration for goat cheese (like eat a pound of goat cheese in one sitting, even when I'm full, kind of love). So, upon returning home to Texas it has been my goal, or rather a necessity, to incorporate goat cheese in to my life. While watching one of the new shows on OWN (I will always follow Oprah), I saw a chef cooking fried goat cheese and it looked easy. So, I decided that Valentine's Dinner was the perfect time to attempt this fancy-ish technique. My little goat cheese bubbles where hard to flip and cooked much faster than I expected, but they were absolutely wonderful!

Fried Goat Cheese Salad (serves 2)

Fried Goat Cheese

1 6 oz. package of goat cheese (or 3/4 of a 8 oz. package)

1 egg

panko bread crumbs (I used italian flavored)

flour

olive oil

Salad

Baby Spinach

Honey Balsamic Dressing

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1-2 tsp. honey (depending on how sweet you like)

Directions:

1. Roll goat cheese in to small 1/4 balls.

2. Make three bowls, one with flour, one with an egg (well stirred) and one with bread crumbs. With your thumb, lightly press each ball in to a disk.

3. Coat each goat cheese ball in flour, dip it in egg and coat it in bread crumbs. Repeat the final two steps, dipping the ball in egg and then bread crumbs once again.

4. Heat 1/8 inch of olive oil in pan.

5. Place each disk in oil, cook for 30 seconds to a minute, flip the disk and cook the other side 30 seconds to a minute.

6. Mix all dressing ingredients.

7. Serve warm goat cheese disks on a bed of baby spinach, topped with the honey balsamic dressing.

8. Enjoy!