Baked Goats’ Cheese with a Walnut Crust and Balsamic Onions
A moreish combination that makes the perfect light lunch for two people on a sunny weekend, or an elegant suppertime starter for four.
You can, if you so wish, use hazelnuts or pine nuts instead of the walnuts and if you’re not a fan of goats’ cheese, firm brie chopped into equally-sized slices makes an excellent substitute.
Ingredients (serves 2 as a lunch; 4 as a starter)
300g goats’ cheese, preferably from a log or logs
50g walnuts
30g breadcrumbs
1-2 eggs
For the balsamic onions
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp runny honey
To serve:
4 generous handfuls of sturdy salad leaves, eg. rocket and watercress
Crusty bread (ciabatta works really well)
Method
To make the balsamic onions: heat the butter and oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and a couple of pinches of salt. Stir well, lower the heat slightly and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until the onions have softened and are starting to caramelise. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey and stir over the heat until syrupy. Set to one side.
For the walnut-coated cheese: either crush the walnuts in a blender/food processor until they reach the same consistency as the breadcrumbs or bash with a rolling pin to achieve the same result. Mix the nuts and the breadcrumbs together and tip into a small bowl.
Slice the goats’ cheese into thick-ish slices (2cm approx) and beat the eggs in a small bowl. Coat the cheese slices in the beaten egg, followed by the nut/breadcrumb mixture. If you’re getting ahead, the prepared cheese can be stored in the fridge for up to six hours from this point, and the onions will happily wait their turn beside them.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 5. Place the cheese slices on a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, gently reheat the balsamic onions.
To serve, arrange the salad leaves on either one large or four small serving plates and top with the balsamic onions followed by the cheeses, drizzling any juice from the onion pan over the top. Serve immediately.
