Yesterday, Rafa turned the big 3-0! We did something we don't often do, go to a nice restaurant. This one was situated right on the water - Sheepshead Bay - and we got a great table overlooking the boats on the bay. :)
Now, as a foodie, I of course had to judge the food as well... Il Fornetto did not disappoint!
For appetizers, we shared a plate of calamari and an amazing goat cheese salad. (More on that later.) For our mains, I had their brick oven pizza - capers, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers (ya, can you believe it?!) and mozzarella on a plum tomato sauce. Rafa had some yummy chicken in white wine dish over herby mash potatoes.
Now, back to the salad. Wow! I have never had goat cheese before, and I must say, I LOVE IT! It was creamy and not overly salty. Just a perfect flavor. The rest of the salad was fantastic too; arugula and watercress in a raspberry vinaigrette with toasted pistachios. So fabulous! I was so full that I had only a little bit of my pizza later on - but I have lunch for today!
Anyway, now that I have discovered a new thing I love I am anxious to recreate it at home. I knew getting the goat cheese, pistachio and greens was easy enough, but I wasn't sure how to go about making the raspberry vinaigrette. So, I found a recipe on Epicurious, and I hope that you will join me in making this salad.
ARUGULA, WATERCRESS, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE
Joe Dion of North Charleston, South Carolina, writes: "Because I work in a restaurant (I'm a chef at a place called Slightly North of Broad in Charleston), I don't let my cooking at home get too complicated. I'm at the restaurant five days a week and often work on weekends, but whenever I have the chance I enjoy getting together with friends and cooking for them."
Fresh raspberries flavor the dressing and give this light salad its sweet tang; the pine nuts add crunch.
1 cup fresh raspberries, divided
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
1 5-ounce bag mixed baby greens with arugula
2 cups small watercress sprigs
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces)
Puree 1/2 cup raspberries, oil, vinegar, shallot, and honey in blender. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup raspberries, greens, watercress, and pine nuts in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad among plates. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.
Makes 6 servings.
Bon AppétitApril 2005
Joe Dion, North Charleston, SC
*I would make slight variations to this recipe based on some reviewers' remarks and my own preferences.
I would only use 1/2 cup of raspberries, and not put the remaining in the actual salad. The dressing itself that I had last night was not very thick, so I'd watch to make sure the vinaigrette is the consistency I want. The pine nuts add a nice touch, but I don't think I'd crumble the goat cheese. I like having the cylinders on top of the salad, and I could break it off as I pleased.
7 comments:
I have to correct you, Ilana. 3-0 is not big. 4-0 was big. ;) Of course I will look back after the big 5-0 and think the 4-0 wasn't so big.
Congratulations to Rafa on reaching the big 3-0.
From someone who's just reached the big 4-0!!!
Your meal sounds great BTW, and may just encourage me to try goats cheese which I never have before!
you should both try warm goats cheese saladit's wonderful and for someone who very rarely eats either meat or cheese its a treat
basicall on salad green (up to you what you use really)take a slice of good wholemeal bread and fry in olive oil until golden, do the same with the goats cheese (this is quickly done)The fry some pancetta or lardons until crispy. make avinaigrette using mustard. toss the salad leaves, put bead on salad, cheese and then lardons scattered over.
Oh yeah -- warm little fried discs of goat cheese are incredible!
Glad you two had such a nice time, and all the best to Mssr. Rafa for his thirtieth year!!
Aw, now listen bitter old-timers (just kidding, don't hit me!!), the 3-0 looks big to a small 28yr old such as myself!! LOL. But you're right ;)
Terry, thanks for the goat cheese recipe. I have entered a new frontier!
:))
Hey guys!! Is this about the goat cheese or my birthday? hehehe. Ilana make me that goat cheese recipe please!!!
Sorry, Ilana wants to avoid people thinking of me as a freak for leaving messages as Anonymous and no signing them.
Rafa (the one who turned the big 3- 0!!)
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