Okanagan Green Salad with Fruit and Chèvre
Notes: Andrea McFadden, owner of Okanagan Lavender Herb Farm (4380 Takla Rd., Kelowna; www.okanaganlavender.com), developed this recipe with her herbes de Provence (a French dried herb blend). Over time, she says, she started adding more fresh produce, making the salad a great light lunch or dinner dish. If you cannot find herbes de Provence, substitute 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried lavender blossoms, and dried marjoram. Use only lavender grown without pesticides.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
On a small rimmed plate, mix bread crumbs and 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence. Coat chèvre log with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then gently roll the log in bread-crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 400° regular or convection oven until bread crumbs are golden, 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, spread pine nuts in a small baking pan; toast in same oven until light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.
Step 3
3
Combine corn kernels with 1 cup water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over high heat; bring to a simmer and cook just until corn kernels are heated through, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Step 4
4
In a large bowl, whisk remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence until smoothly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
5
Add salad greens, corn kernels, nectarine, raspberries, blueberries, and half the pine nuts and mix gently to coat. Divide among salad plates. Cut chèvre into 1/2-inch slices or chunks. Top salads evenly with chèvre, remaining pine nuts, and lavender blossoms.
Ingredients
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (see notes)
1 log (about 6 oz.) fresh chèvre (goat cheese)
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh raw corn kernels (from 1 ear corn)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
8 ounces mixed baby salad greens (about 8 cups)
1 nectarine, rinsed, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/3 cup raspberries, rinsed
1/3 cup blueberries, rinsed
Blossoms from 5 stems fresh lavender (see notes), rinsed
Directions
Step 1
1
On a small rimmed plate, mix bread crumbs and 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence. Coat chèvre log with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then gently roll the log in bread-crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 400° regular or convection oven until bread crumbs are golden, 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, spread pine nuts in a small baking pan; toast in same oven until light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.
Step 3
3
Combine corn kernels with 1 cup water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over high heat; bring to a simmer and cook just until corn kernels are heated through, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Step 4
4
In a large bowl, whisk remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence until smoothly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
5
Add salad greens, corn kernels, nectarine, raspberries, blueberries, and half the pine nuts and mix gently to coat. Divide among salad plates. Cut chèvre into 1/2-inch slices or chunks. Top salads evenly with chèvre, remaining pine nuts, and lavender blossoms.
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