Chèvre chaud salad – French salad with warm goat’s cheese and crisp bread.
Chèvre chaud salad is a classic French goat’s cheese salad, and I think it may well be one of my absolute favourites when lunch needs to be easy, quick and seriously good. The combination of warm, soft goat’s cheese, crisp bread and a fresh, crunchy salad with a simple vinaigrette – it just tastes so good.
I like to buy a good goat’s cheese log from the cheesemonger when I make this. The large log, cut into even slices and baked in the oven alongside thin slices of bread – a baguette or ciabatta, for example. The cheese only needs long enough to turn slightly soft and warm inside, with the bread golden and crisp. At the end I like to give the top of the cheese a quick pass with a crème brûlée torch so it takes on a lightly golden surface. It shouldn’t stay in the oven too long, or it melts too much and loses its shape.
Meanwhile I assemble the salad. I like to use a crunchy mixed salad and toss it with blackberries and blueberries, which bring a gentle sweetness to the salty cheese. The vinaigrette is as simple as it gets – good olive oil, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, a little honey, salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. That’s really all it takes.
It’s a salad that feels light and luxurious at the same time. Perfect for lunch, but also an obvious choice for a light evening meal with a good glass of wine alongside. In our house it’s certainly a favourite with the two adults – and I completely understand why.
Chèvre chaud salad
Ingredients
- 400 g goat’s cheese log – I buy the large one from the cheesemonger
- 8 slices baguette – or 4 slices of bread
- 4 handfuls crunchy mixed salad leaves
- 125 g blackberries
- 125 g blueberries
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp balsamic glaze
- 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 tsp runny honey
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil for drizzling over the bread
Method
- Cut the goat’s cheese into even slices and lay them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Arrange the bread slices on the baking paper too, and drizzle the tops with a little olive oil.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 210°C (conventional, top and bottom heat) for about 10-12 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and the cheese is bubbling in the middle.
- Meanwhile, stir together the olive oil, balsamic glaze, apple cider vinegar and honey – season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Toss the salad leaves with half the vinaigrette and add half the berries as well.
- If you like, torch the top of the goat’s cheese with a crème brûlée torch – it gives a lovely golden finish.
- Divide the salad between 4 bowls, place the bread in the middle and top with the goat’s cheese. Scatter the remaining berries over the top and drizzle over the last of the vinaigrette.
- Season with freshly ground pepper before serving.
Nutrition
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