Serves 4
Ingredients:
150g semi soft goat’s milk cheese*
37.5g / ¼ cup flour
50g Staffords All Purpose Batter
90g / 90ml ice cold sparkling water
50g pecan nuts
100g sliced & smoked pancetta
2 pink lady apples, sliced thinly
100g mixed salad leaves (e.g rocket, baby spinach & watercress)
Vinaigrette:
60ml extra virgin olive oil
60ml sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying
*You want a semi soft goat’s cheese here preferably with a rind – not the chevin style.
For extra deliciousness find one dusted in vegetable ash.
Method:
Slice the goat’s cheese into chunky pieces.
Wrap with cling film and freeze until firm.
(Freeze the goat’s cheese about an hour before you want to make the salad.)
Lightly toast the pecan nuts in a dry pan.
Roughly chop and set aside.
Cook the pancetta in a dry pan on a medium heat until the fat renders out and it is crispy and golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel.
Roughly chop and set aside.
Whisk all of the ingredients for the salad dressing together.
Or combine them in a glass jar, seal the lid and shake well until emulsified. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil until 180˚C.
Whisk the Staffords All Purpose Batter and sparkling water together in a small bowl.
Coat the frozen goat’s cheese pieces in the flour and then dip in the batter.
Make sure to coat each piece well.
A fork or chopsticks are great tools to help you lift the cheese out of the batter and into the oil.
Fry the cheese pieces until golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
To assemble the salad:
Mix the salad greens, apple slices and toasted nuts with a little drizzle of dressing.
Once well combined, plate on desired serving dish.
Top with the fried goat’s cheese and serve straight away with extra dressing on the side.