Recipe of the Week - Endive and Apple Salad with Fried Camembert
/To make an elegant first course for six or a main course for four, accompany this salad with a crisp baguette or a crusty country boule (or ball) and a dry white wine, such as herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, crisp unoaked Canadian Chardonnay or a French Chablis.
Portion size 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 L) chopped belgian endive
- 4 cups (1 L) mâche or watercress
- 1 red-skinned apple, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced sweet onion
- 1 wheel Camembert cheese, (about 370 g)
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) fine fresh bread crumbs
- 2 cups (500 mL) vegetable oil, for deep frying, enough for 1/2 inch deep skillet
Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper; whisk in vegetable and olive oils. In large bowl, combine endive, mâche, apple and onion. Set bowls aside.
Cut cheese into 4 to 6 wedges. Place flour, egg and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Coat each wedge with flour; dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Dip again in flour, then egg. Coat with bread crumbs, pressing to cover completely.
In skillet, heat 1/2 inch (1 cm) deep vegetable oil over medium-high heat; fry cheese, turning once, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Toss salad with vinaigrette; divide among plates. Top each with cheese wedge.
