Watercress Salad with Warm Goat’s Cheese Croutons
When I was a teenager at home and my parents would go out for a date night or a church group they were part of, I would always beg ask my mum to buy the same thing for me to bake for dinner for my sister and I: breaded goat’s cheese coins. God, they were good. So good.
Warm, melty, gooey, and covered in a layer of crisp golden breadcrumbs. It was the perfect balance of salty softness and crunchy goodness. Served on top of a green salad with bacon lardons, it was a common feature of menus and supermarket aisles in France and Belgium, where I grew up. But sadly, upon arriving in England as an adult, I realised these gorgeous cheese nuggets were nowhere to be found.
As hard as it was to believe the British had lived there entire lives without these delicious treats, I quickly discovered, to my joy, that they are unbelievably easy to make at home. Chop, roll, fry, serve. I love those simple recipes.
I’m not sure how we got five years into marriage without my husband ever having tasted one of my favourite childhood foods, but when I made them recently, he looked puzzled and I realised he had never eaten or even seen this dish before. One bite completely and utterly convinced him though: “that may be the best thing I’ve ever tasted” was the keen response. And I totally get it. Totally.
My little boy thoroughly enjoyed his, too, although my daughter (not a big goat’s cheese fan so far) was not so easily convinced. Still, enough of the family love these for me to make them on repeat again – I just may need to get a bit of mozzarella instead of goat’s cheese for my daughter’s version! 🙂
If you have young children like mine who struggle to properly chew on salad and are a bit too young to swallow it, serve the croutons over some shredded or softened vegetables, alongside some cooked grains if you want to make more of a meal out of it. But for older kids or adults, nothing beats serving these over a big bowl of watercress (or mixed salad leaves), some cooked bacon or a few slices of prosciutto, and a simple French vinaigrette.
A simple but sophisticated salad topped with breadcrumb-coated melting goat's cheese that everyone can enjoy. If your kids aren't great with salad leaves, try serving the croutons with cooked veggies instead.
- 2 thick slices wholemeal or sourdough bread (you can substitute gluten free bread/breadcrumbs, or even ground almonds here if you like)
- 1 log (about 100g) chevre style goat's cheese (the log shaped one with a rind)
- coconut or olive oil, for frying
- 1 bag watercress
- a handful cooked crispy bacon lardons, cooked chicken, or prosciutto slices, optional (you could add a cooked egg for vegetarian or handful of cooked Puy lentils for vegan)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- optional (but delicious) extras include: ripe sliced avocado, mangetouts or sugar snap peas, cucumber strips, thinly sliced radishes, halved cherry tomatoes or your favourite vegetables, or a handful of your favourite nuts and/or seeds
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To make the croutons, cut the crusts off the bread (you can leave on if the crusts are soft) and blitz in a food processor to make fine breadcrumbs. Pour onto a large plate or into a large shallow bowl (like a pasta bowl). Cut the rind off the goat's cheese log and chop into 8 thick round slices. Roll the goat's cheese slices in the breadcrumbs until covered, pressing them on with your hand if you need to help it along.
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Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan until hot, then place the croutons in (it should sizzle) and fry until golden and crispy. This should take about 1-2 mins on each side over medium heat. Place the croutons on a kitchen-roll lined tray to drain and cool slightly.
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Divide the watercress between 4 bowls, add the meat (if using), any extra vegetables you are using (see suggestions in ingredients list), and mix. Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients in a jar, putting on the lid and shaking until combined. Top each salad bowl with 2 croutons and pour over the dressing. Sprinkle with coarse ground pepper and serve straightaway.
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The croutons freeze well before frying. After rolling in the breadcrumbs, place them on a lined baking tray and flash freeze for about 30 mins, then place in a freezable container or zip-lock bag for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and fry as usual.
