Warm Goat Cheese & Brie Salad Drizzled with Honey Lavender Dressing

Warning: this salad is excessively delicious. Dave got this from Rouxbe online cooking which has fantastic recipes including instructional videos. This is a great salad to serve for special occasions or dinner parties. We’ve made it several times and it was a big hit.

150 grams goat cheese (5 ounces)
100 grams brie cheese (approx. 3 ounces)
1 lemon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Place the goat cheese into a bowl. Then tear the brie into pieces and add to the bowl, along with the zest of half a lemon.

Add the salt and pepper and mix together. Divide the cheese into four.

Lightly crush the toasted almonds. Gather a tray lined with plastic wrap and set aside.
Take one quarter of the cheese and roll it into a ball and then flatten slightly to form a disc. Place the cheese into the almonds and roll to coat each side. Then set the cheese onto the tray and place into the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to set and chill.
Preheat your oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: The Vinaigrette

5 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup water
4 tbsp honey
1 small spring thyme
1 small sprig lavender
Roughly chop the herbs. Using the back of a heavy pan, crack the peppercorns.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the water, honey, herbs and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer and reduce for about 3 to 5 minutes. Once it has thickened slightly, turn off the heat and set aside.

Step 3: Gathering the Rest of Your Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 cups arugula (about 1 ounce)
extra-virgin olive oil
salt (to taste)
Before you bake the cheese, make sure to gather the rest of your ingredients. (Once the cheese is ready it should be served immediately.)
Cut the lemon in half and measure out the olive oil. Gather the arugula and have some extra olive oil and salt on hand for tossing the salad. Lastly, have the serving plates ready.

Step 4: Baking and Starting to Assemble

When you’re to serve the salad, remove the cheese from the refrigerator and transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray.
The cheese bakes for only 2 to 3 minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on it. As soon as the tray goes into the oven you can quickly toss the salad. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the arugula, followed by a touch of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss gently to combine.

Divide the salad among the plates and then check on the cheese. Once the discs just begin to soften, remove them from the oven.
Step 5: Finishing the Vinaigrette and Serving

To serve the dish, use a large spoon to gently transfer the cheese to each plate.
Quickly finish the dressing by adding the juice of the other half of the lemon, along with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk together to combine.

Drizzle the dressing over the cheese and around the plate. Serve and enjoy!