Warm Apples and Goat Cheese Salad

For the salad I made warm apple and goat cheese salad (Thanks Paula Deen!) This salad was so refreshing. The dressing has a wonderful flavor and the Granny Smith apples and toasted walnuts adds a nice crunch. I used watercress lettuce instead of the spinach. And instead of mixing the dressing in a jar, I just whisked it in a bowl. The only hard part of this recipe was getting the apples and cheese off the baking sheet.

Warm Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 Belgian endives, cored and separated into leaves
1 bunch watercress or spinach, washed
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
4 ounces mild goat cheese, small log
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Using a glass jar with a tight lid, combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper, and shake well to blend. Add the oil and parsley and shake.

On 4 plates, arrange the endive leaves like spokes around each plate. Arrange the watercress or spinach in the center. Preheat the broiler, and arrange the sliced apples slightly overlapping in 4 fan shapes, place in broiler pan. Cut the cheese into 4 slices and top each apple fan with slices of cheese. Broil until golden for approximately 5 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully place the apple slices and cheese on top of the endive. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and sprinkle with walnuts