GRILLED PEAR, ENDIVE AND CROTTIN DE CHAVIGNOL TOASTS WITH CARAMELISED WALNUTS

By Sophie Wright, chef and Easy Cheesey Chèvre Ambassador

In these days of economic gloom we are always looking at ways of making our budgets stretch. But that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice taste. Here at Easy Cheesey Chèvre Towers, I’ve put together a set of delicious recipes using French goat’s cheeses which are not only easy to make, but won’t break the bank.

This is a salad that should be eaten warm. It is very simple to prepare and the flavours are all fresh and exciting. The sweetness of this salad works extremely well with the mild or mature Crottin de Chavignol and the bitterness from the endive balances it perfectly. Bright and colourful it is perfect as a side dish, starter, main course or lunch.

A slightly barrel-shaped squat cylinder with a natural, bloomy rind, the Crottin de Chavignol has a light, smooth texture and is easy to cut. It ranges from smooth and creamy to dry and crumbly. For a stronger flavour, wait for the rind of the cheese to turn bluish.

It is available in good supermarket deli counters and specialist cheese shops.

Serves 4 Prep time 20 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes Pre heat grill to medium

Approximate cost per portion £2.50

INGREDIENTS

4 Crottin de Chavignol (mild or mature depending on your taste)

100g walnuts

2 firm pears

4 heads yellow endive

50g brown sugar

2 tbsp icing sugar

Juice and zest 1 orange

50mls olive oil

½ baguette

50mls white wine (optional)

2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)

50g basil leaves

Runny honey to serve

METHOD

1. Heat a large non-stick pan on the stove and add in half the sugar. When the sugar starts to brown and caramelise, add in the walnuts pecans. Coat them well in the sugar them pour out on to a plate and allow to cool. Cut the baguette into 8 thin slices. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill, on one side only until golden.
2. Peel and cut the pears into halves. Remove the core and then cut into 16 wedges.
3. Dust the pears in a little icing sugar and place onto a large flat non-stick tray.
4. Cut the endive in halves and place onto a flat oven to table tray or dish, cut side up with the pears. Drizzle with olive oil, orange zest and half of the orange juice.
5. Place the toasted slices crispy side down onto the tray, with the endive and the pear. Drizzle each slice with a teaspoon of white wine if you wish. This gives a little extra flavour.
6. Cut each Crottin de Chavignol in half and place one, cut side up onto each of the baguette slices. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place under the grill for 10 minutes.
7. Once the cheese has started to bubble and melt, the pear is slightly golden and the endive is crispy around the edges, remove from the grill.

To serve, scatter the walnuts over the grilled salad, tear over a few basil leaves, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and drizzle with honey and olive oil.

For further information or recipes please visit: www.frenchgoatscheese.com or contact chris.skyrme@sopexa.com 0207 312 3644