2000s Recipes + Menus
Dandelion Salad with Lardons and Goat Cheese Phyllo Blossoms
Serves6
- Active time:50 min
- Start to finish:1 1/2 hr
April 2005
This dish is a take on the bistro classic frisée salad with lardons. We recommend removing the ribs from the dandelion greens; though it’s a rather lengthy process, the result will be much more delicate.
For goat cheese blossoms
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz soft mild goat cheese (1 cup) at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 (17- by 12-inch) sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
For salad
- 6 oz slab bacon, rind discarded if necessary and bacon cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then cut into 1-inch-wide pieces (to form lardons)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 lb dandelion greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces (10 cups)
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Special equipment:
a muffin tin with 6 (1/2- or 1/3-cup) muffin cups
Make goat cheese blossoms:
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Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Brush muffin cups with some melted butter.
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Stir together goat cheese, cream, egg, mustard, and pepper in a bowl until combined well.
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Cover phyllo with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface, then brush with some melted butter. Cut phyllo into 4 (8 1/2- by 6-inch) rectangles and arrange 2 of them one over the other in a crisscross pattern, then line a muffin cup with overlapping phyllo. Line another muffin cup with remaining 2 phyllo rectangles in same manner. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 phyllo sheets and melted butter, lining remaining 4 muffin cups.
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Spoon goat cheese filling into cups and loosely gather edges of phyllo over center (if pieces of phyllo break off, arrange in center).
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Bake phyllo blossoms until tops are golden brown and sides are golden, 25 to 35 minutes, then transfer from pan to a rack to cool slightly.
Prepare salad while goat cheese blossoms bake:
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Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. If necessary pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add oil and shallot to skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, quickly stirring and scraping up brown bits, then stir in sugar and salt. Immediately pour hot dressing and bacon over dandelion greens in a large bowl and toss well.
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Divide salad among plates and put a warm goat cheese blossom alongside each salad. Serve immediately.
Cooks' notes:
Dandelion greens can be washed and trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels. Bacon can be cut 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Goat cheese phyllo blossoms can be baked 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Dandelion greens can be washed and trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels. Bacon can be cut 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Goat cheese phyllo blossoms can be baked 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
- Keywords
- melissa roberts,
- salad,
- pastry,
- vegetarian,
- cheese
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