Atlantic Superstore

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Cut off one-quarter of baguette. Wrap rest of baguette and save for another use. Cut quarter baguette into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Let stand at room temperature to dry out slightly, about 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together olive oil, thyme, lemon rind, garlic and spice grinder to make marinade. Pour one-quarter of mixture into 8-inch square (2 L) glass baking dish. Using dental floss, cut goat cheese into 12 equal slices crosswise; place cheese in baking dish in single layer and pour remaining oil mixture over it. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In food processor, process bread cubes to make coarse bread crumbs; place in shallow bowl.
3. Remove cheese from refrigerator. Using fork, lift a goat cheese round and gently coat in crumbs, pressing them into the cheese. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cheese slices, saving remaining marinade left in baking dish. Discard remaining breadcrumbs. Bake cheese in centre of oven for 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice into remaining marinade in baking dish to make salad dressing.
4. Divide arugula among six salad plates. Place two pieces of red pepper on each salad. Place two pieces of warm goat cheese on each salad beside peppers. Drizzle each plate with 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) salad dressing and serve immediately, with remaining baguette if desired. Save remaining salad dressing for another use.

Chef's Tips

The bread dries while the cheese marinates, so the recipe is not as time-consuming as it may appear. If you have stale bread on hand, you can use it instead.

You can marinate the cheese overnight.