Deconstructing Salad. Day # 2.

Arugula and Asparagus Salad with Pancetta and Warm Goat Cheese

Since starting this blog, my appreciation for food and cooking has increased exponentially. Now that I am posting my thoughts and recipes online, I feel very accountable. Not only to anyone who might read my blog, but also to myself, in learning as much as I can as I go along. It used to be easier for me to give up on an ingredient or a recipe. Sometimes I would rush things and expect them to turn out. If they didn't, I would blame the recipe and give up on it altogether. But now I have a new appreciation for the effort that goes into creating a recipe, and for all the knowledge that is out there for me to discover.

In addition, there is great inspiration to be found in reading other people's food blogs. The recipes they make or create and the beautiful photography that often goes along with it. It makes you realize at times that you have been lazy, that you haven't appreciated the possibilities of a dish to it's full extent. This, of course, has given me more motivation to be creative, to stretch my imagination as far as it can possibly go. Though I realize that this will not happen overnight. I have a great deal to learn. But now, I find myself looking at a block of tofu in my fridge with new eyes. I don't want to do the same old thing I usually do, which tastes ok but doesn't knock our socks off. I want to find a way to make it fantastic. Whether it's through my own recipe or someone else's. The potential is there with any food, I realize that now. I just have to find it.

For some strange reason, I declared this week salad week. I would eat salads for dinner each night for the next 5 days. I've only just passed day 2, and I'm surprised already at what I have learned from it. I've always loved to read about food, and I read recipes like there is no tomorrow. But a good part of what I'm now learning to enjoy about food was previously lost on me. The different methods of production, subtle flavour differences.. These were things that I did not pay attention to. To me, sea salt was sea salt, butter was butter and goat cheese was goat cheese.

On Saturday I went to the farmer's market with a short list of items. The rest I would select based on what looked good. One of my must have's was goat cheese. For me, it was a generic request. I have had the luxury of shopping at Whole Foods and other stores with lots of selection, but I was used to just browsing at my leisure and picking up whatever cheese had the most appealing label or wrapper. I never paid any attention to what it was that made it different from the ones that I left behind.

This time, however, there was no random selecting. Everything was behind a glass counter waiting to be asked for by name. So, when I asked for the goat cheese, there was this awkward pause. And I realized the vendor was expecting me to continue. He pointed to a vast selection of goat cheeses. I panicked a little, then I spotted a small sign, Le Chevrot, and quickly asked for it, as though I had intended it all along.

Not wanting to repeat the same mistake next time, I decided to look it up on the web once I got home. I had a new responsibility to this cheese man, I had to know what I wanted. This small change in my shopping habits has opened up a whole new world for me. And I know when the farmer's market sets up again on Wednesday I will have a well researched list of the cheeses that I want to try next. Inspired by that, I went further and investigated another key ingredient that made up my salad dinner last night.

The Deconstruction of my Arugula and Asparagus salad with Pancetta and Warm Goat Cheese.

The Goat Cheese (Le Chevrot)
As it turns out, the little gem that I purchased is a handmade (artisan) cheese from the province of Poitou in the Loire Valley in France. Sounds impressive. I thought so. It's quite dense, not soft and creamy like some goat cheeses. It is aged for a minimum of 60 days and it has a beautiful ivory rind, as you can see by the picture below. I did read that it's flavour is enhanced by eating the rind and also by warming it, so that's exactly what I did. And it was quite stunning. I'm not well versed in explaining flavours of cheeses so here is a description that I found on the web about its flavour. Hopefully I'll get better at that with practice.

.." a fresh, buttery, faintly winy taste, and an inviting aroma of ripe figs. It is also known for having a distinct freshness of flavor and a supple, lush quality that is nothing short of magnificent, with a slightly nutty, almost fermented taste that borders on the addictive. "
(found here) at Cheese of the Month Club.




The Pancetta, the King of Bacon
Pancetta is an Italian salt or spice cured streaky bacon taken from only the belly of the pig. It is generally air dried, not smoked, but a smoked version can be found, which is what I used. It is usually found rolled into a salami shape and put in a casing, and thinly sliced, but you can also find it unrolled in a solid block. (see picture below) The block will knock your socks off. The best thing about it is that you can slice it as thick or as thin as you want. It is salty and bursting with pure bacon flavour,and it crisps up perfectly, without losing hardly any of it's size from cooking. I know my brother is going to want this bacon now. He, whose first word as a child was "MEAT".



The Salad
The combination of flavours in this salad was excellent. The tangy mellowness of the goat cheese with the earthiness of the asparagus, were set off nicely by the peppery arugula and the salty bacon. The balsamic dressing is light in flavour, as the salad ingredients do all the work. The rind on goat cheese is edible, although some prefer not to eat it. There is enough dressing in this recipe to serve 2 people.

Arugula And Asparagus Salad with Pancetta and Warm Goat Cheese

Balsamic Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of salt

Mix the above ingredients together. Some balsamic's are more flavourful than others, so vinaigrette recipes should generally be adjusted to taste.

Salad ingredients
Arugula for one or 2 people, washed and patted dry with paper towel.
2 or 3 spears of roasted asparagus per person (toss with olive oil, put on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes at 375F, until softened)
2 or 3 slices of pancetta per person, fried in a pan (put in cold pan and turn on heat. No oil needed.)
a round of goat cheese sliced into suitable portions (I should have cut mine in 3, instead of in half, as what is pictured above was too much for me.)

Place your goat cheese in the stove part way through roasting your asparagus.(cut side up)
Depending on its density, it may take longer or shorter to soften than mine did (about 10 minutes). Drain the pancetta on paper towel and let cool slightly. Then chop into bite-sized pieces. Cut the roasted asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Toss the arugula with the dressing (to taste) and then top with the pancetta and asparagus. Remove your goat cheese from the oven and place on top of your salad. Top with freshly cracked black pepper if desired.