It was New Year's Eve, and we were pretty broke. We wanted to have a nice dinner, but it had to be inexpensive. I looked into the fridge and I found that I had some Mesclun greens, pears and some chèvre. I know, I know, who keeps that sort of stuff around the house? Right? Well, I had the Mesclun because I had bought it a few days before in preparation for friends that visited. The pears were sent to my office as a gift to my boss; he went out of town, so they became mine. The chèvre was purchased after seeing a show about how it was made and I wanted to experiment with it. Finally, on top of the fridge there was a little bit of french bread left over.
This quick and easy salad can be served either with a meal or on its own. You will need:
- Mesclun Greens
- 1 Pear
- 4oz Chèvre
- French Bread or baguette
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil
Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice the bread a quarter-inch thick then brush with olive oil. Bake bread slices on a baking sheet for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown. Spread a small amount of chèvre onto crostini and put back into oven for 2-3 minutes. I like the improved flavor of the warmed cheese. I cut each piece into quarters, just to make them easier to eat, but you could leave them as they are if you prefer.
For the dressing, mix up a few tablespoons of balsamic glaze and olive oil with some fresh basil.
Wash the greens and put on plates. Peel and cut up pear into small pieces and put on top of greens. Drizzle dressing on salad and top with crostini.