Spring Entertaining
Southern Socials
Walnut-Goat Cheese Spring Salad
Young & tender green beans, a smattering of fresh herbs, lemon juice & tangy goat cheese welcome the season flawlessly. Walnut-Goat Cheese Spring Salad is simple to make & it’s brimming with good flavor & texture. A little quinoa gives the salad a modern lift while quenelles of chèvre offer visual interest & tangy taste. Learn how to make a beautiful side dish perfect to serve for Easter celebrations & all throughout the spring season.
Walnut-Goat Cheese Spring Salad With Quinoa & Haricot Verts
makes 8 servings
8 oz haricot verts, rinsed & stems removed
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup spinach leaves
3 oz goat cheese
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a Dutch oven over High heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water & ice. Drop the haricot verts into the boiling water & blanch 2 minutes. Drain & immediately plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain once the beans are cold, about 5 minutes. Vigorously toss them around in the colander to release as much water as possible. Cut them into approximately 1 1/2-inch pieces. Chill. Bring the water & the salt to a boil over Medium-High heat in a 2 quart saucepan. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in fine wire mesh colander & stir it into the water. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low & simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat & uncover the quinoa. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork & transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle the quinoa with the olive oil & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well to combine. Chill 1 hour, then stir in the haricot verts, lemon juice, the walnuts & the pepper. Taste & adjust the salt level. Arrange the spinach leaves over salad plates, top with the quinoa mixture then quenelles of goat cheese. Season with additional salt & pepper.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Prep & Blanch Haricot Verts
Haricot verts are pretty versatile as they may be served as a simple side dish, with salads, accompany appetizers or arranged with other vegetables on a serving tray & offered with delicious dips. Cooking haricot verts for a short amount of time retains nutrients & brings out their rich, vibrant color. Unlike green beans, there is no string to remove as these are very tender vegetables. Simply snap the stem end away & place them in a colander then rinse well under cool water. The blanching process can be executed several hours in advance of a meal then finished quickly just before serving, if desired.
The Technique
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a Dutch oven over High heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water & ice. Drop the haricot verts into the boiling water & blanch 2 minutes. Drain & immediately plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain once the beans are cold, about 5 minutes. Vigorously toss them around in the colander to release as much water as possible.
The Tune
“Did I Remember” Billie Holiday
httpa://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG7uetIMMEo&list=PLqIs5mmrrBRo11HmCZ0hwco_byoF1JZdx&index=15
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