Endive and Apple Salad with Fried Camembert

By franny-2

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.

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette:
• 4 cups chopped belgian endive
• 4 cups mâche or watercress
• 1 red-skinned apple, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup(125 mL) (125 mL) thinly sliced sweet onion
• 1 wheel Camembert cheese, (about 370 g)
• 1/4 cup(50 mL) (50 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-1/4 cups panko crumbs
• vegetable oil, for deep frying, enough for 1/2 inch deep skillet
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

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.