Caet House Salad Recipe
Salad Days’ lettuce, goat cheese fritter, candied walnuts, red grapes, pickled onions, sherry vinaigrette
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Ingredients
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Salad
Sherry Vinaigrette
Method
Sherry Vinaigrette
Make vinaigrette
In a small bowl or jar, combine sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and minced shallot. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired. Set aside at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Candied Walnuts
If you don't have pre-made candied walnuts: place 3 oz (about 3/4 cup) walnut halves in a nonstick skillet with 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp water over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and coats the nuts, about 3–4 minutes. Spread nuts on parchment to cool, then roughly chop. If using store-bought candied walnuts, simply chop and set aside.
Goat Cheese Fritters
Prepare goat cheese
Slice the 4 oz chilled goat cheese log into four equal rounds (about 1/2 inch thick). Place rounds on a tray and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes — this helps them hold shape when frying.
Coat
Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs. Lightly season flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge each chilled goat cheese round first in flour (shake off excess), then dip in beaten egg, and press into panko to fully coat. For a thicker crust, repeat egg and panko for a double coat.
Fry
Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add coated rounds and fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side until golden brown. Use a spatula and careful handling — the cheese inside will be soft. Transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you assemble the salad.
Salad Assembly
In a large bowl, combine 6 cups mixed salad greens, halved grapes (1 cup), and 3 tbsp pickled red onions. Toss gently to distribute ingredients.
Dress the salad: drizzle about 2 to 3 tbsp of the prepared sherry vinaigrette over the greens and toss lightly to coat. Reserve extra vinaigrette for individual plates if desired.
Plate: divide dressed greens between 4 plates (servings). Place one warm goat cheese fritter on top of each salad. Scatter roughly 3 oz candied walnuts across the salads (about 3/4 oz per plate). Finish each plate with a light grind of black pepper and a small pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
Serve immediately so the goat cheese fritter remains warm and the crust stays crisp.