Recipe

Warm Manchego Cheese Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1 teaspoon Essence
1 (8-ounce) piece manchego (the medium aged variety - it should not be too hard), rind removed and cut into 4 equal rounds
1 egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons assorted chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, basil, and marjoram
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
6 ounces mesclun, or other salad greens, rinsed and spun dry
2 small oranges, segmented
1/2 cup toasted pinenuts
4 ounces Serrano ham, chiffonade
Fresh baby parsley sprigs, garnish
Chives, garnish

In a food processor, pulse the bread crumbs, almonds, and Essence until the nuts are ground, being careful not to over-grind. Place in a shallow dish.
Dip the cheese slices in the egg white, then into the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat on all sides and pressing to adhere. Place on a plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a bowl, combine the vinegar, shallots, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the oil, whisking to make an emulsion.
Place the greens and orange segments in a large bowl and toss lightly with dressing to taste. Adjust seasoning to taste. Divide among 4 salad plates.
On a small, lightly greased baking sheet, bake the cheese rounds until golden brown and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove and transfer 1 round to each salad. Sprinkle the pine nuts and ham over the top of each salad, and garnish with the parsley sprigs and chives.
Serve immediately with warm croutons.