Watercress Pear Salad with Cashew-Coated Goat Cheese

Ingredients
2 Watercress bunches,
1 pear, thinly sliced
4 oz (1 small log) Haystack Mt. Boulder Chevre
¼ cup Flour
1 egg
1 T milk
3 T panko bread crumbs
3 T finely chopped cashews
peanut oil
salt and pepper

Dressing
1 garlic clove, chopped
Pinch Meyer lemon zest
3 T Meyer lemon juice
Pinch of blood orange zest
3 T blood orange juice
1 T Cuisine Perel D’Anjou Pear Vinegar (or Champagne vinegar)
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp honey
3 T extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Directions
Allow chevre to come to room temperature. Divide log into four equal portions. Roll portions into little balls and then flatten, slightly, into a small patty. Set aside.
Place flour on a small plate. Crack the egg into a bowl with milk and lightly whisk. Mix bread crumbs, cashews, salt and pepper in another bowl. Dredge each cheese patty in flour then quickly dip into the egg mixture, allowing any excess egg to run off. Place the patty in the bread crumb mixture and coat well. Allow to chill in refrigerator before frying.
Place all dressing ingredients except olive oil and salt into a blender. Pulse a few times to blend then with the blender running add olive oil slowly and a generous pinch of salt/to taste.
Place a large, shallow pan over medium heat and add enough peanut oil to coat the bottom of the pan well. When oil is hot, add goat cheese patties and fry until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.
Place Watercress and pear slices in a bowl, drizzle with dressing, and toss well. Plate the salad and top each serving with a goat cheese patty. Serve immediately

Serves 4
From: counterculturecuisine.blogospot.com
Recipe Roundup April 2012