Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese Medallion Salad

Pistachio crusted goat cheese medallion salad has elements of creamy, salty, and crunchiness all in one bite!  The crisp citrus vinaigrette makes this no ordinary salad. 

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Pistachio crusted goat cheese medallion salad will make you want to eat salad!

Let's face it we all know salads are good for our waistline.  It's been my go-to lunch for years for many reasons.

1. I can make a few ahead of time for the work week.
2. I get a great array of nutrients from the vegetables.
3. It's easy to add low fat protein like a piece of grilled chicken.
4. It helps me budget my calories for the occasional dinner date night out with my hubby.

But although I do love salad a girl needs a little variety in her life!  I had to make something special that would make us want to eat salad! The idea for this came to mind as a way to incorporate a few of our favorite things, cheese and nuts.  I am crazy about goat cheese and put it in everything from pasta to sandwiches.  It's so creamy and earthy that it pairs well with almost anything. I thought wrapping it in pistachios and baking the medallions in the oven would make a normal salad extraordinary.  I was right, it instantly became a favorite!

How to make a pistachio crusted goat cheese medallion.

While this sounds difficult I assure you that it's super simple.  I think the most difficult part is actually keeping the goat cheese from crumbling. Start by finely chopping the pistachios.  The finer the crumb the easier it is to get it to stick to the cheese.  Mix with the panko crumbs.  Then mince your thyme leaves.  An easy trick to stripping the leaves is to run your fingers against the length of the stem, starting from the top and sliding down to the bottom.   Set that aside and slice your goat cheese log into ¼ inch thick slices.  It will crumble but that's ok you can easily form it back into a round disk with your hands.  In a small shallow dish scramble one egg.  This is the glue for the crumbs to stick to the goat cheese.  Dip the cheese disks into the egg and then into the pistachio crumb mixture and lay out on a foil lined baking sheet to go into the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes while assembling the rest of the salad.

How to make a lemon vinaigrette.

I love making my own salad dressing.  I remember my grandmother always making a basic oil and vinegar dressing with a clove of crushed garlic. It was simple yet perfect with the home grown vegetables from her garden. Over the years I have elaborated on her basic recipe and change it depending on the flavor of the salad I'm preparing. I find it much tastier than most bottled dressings plus I can control the ingredients and make something that really fits the salad.  I usually always have balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemons on hand so this is a quick healthy vinaigrette that I can whip up in just a couple minutes.  To make the dressing add all of your ingredients to a container with a really secure lid and shake vigorously. Make sure to mince the thyme leaves first.

What flavors pair well with goat cheese medallions?

Fresh fruit is the perfect complement to this salad.  Starting with a bed of spring mix add thinly slice pairs and strawberries across the bowl.  Of course I need a little extra protein so I used chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken.  No need to cook yourself- I let Costco do the work for me with their wonderful and inexpensive chicken.  Sprinkle a few extra pistachios and place the warm medallions from the oven onto the salad.  This is so flavorful it only needs a light vinaigrette to perfect it!

 

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