Fried Goat Cheese Salad with Figs and Blueberries

This dish was inspired by a menu item at The Tombs in Washington, DC. I frequented The Tombs in college, but to be honest, it had less to do with the fried goat cheese and more to do with the Dirty Girl Scout.

The Tombs was an essential part of the Georgetown experience. I still have the weekly schedule memorized-live music on Sunday nights, country on Mondays, trivia on Tuesdays, Senior Night on Wednesdays, and you can probably fill in the blanks for weekend nights. I’ll give you a hint: Lil’ Jon made frequent appearances.

The Tombs was that rare breed of bar/restaurant that college students frequented expressly to get hammered and THEN returned for brunch the next day with their parents in tow. I’ll never understand how the staff of the Tombs managed to transform the bar in the wee hours of the morning to get rid of all traces of the previous night, but they did it. The food was also excellent, but it was always a little jarring to see families having brunch in the precise spot where I knew  seniors from my econ recitation were making out the night before.

Anyway, let’s return to this salad. It’s sweet and bright, thanks to the fig, blueberry, and lemon. You can also substitute other fruits – peaches, nectarines, apricot – really whatever fruit you have on hand that you deem appropriate for a salad, but I often find myself coming back to the blueberry-lemon combination.

Luckily, frying the goat cheese was easier and less messy than I expected. I pre-froze my goat cheese for about half an hour so that it would be easier to cut and dip in egg and breadcrumb, which made it easier to handle, but as long as your refrigerator is cold enough, it should be slice-able regardless. Overall, it’s certainly a bit more work than your average salad, but let me assure you – it’s worth it. 

Print Recipe

Fried goat cheese salad with figs and blueberries

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings

large or side salads

Ingredients

For the lemon dressing:

• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 shallot finely chopped (if desired)
• salt and pepper to taste

For the fried goat cheese:

• 5 oz goat cheese cut into approximately 12 1/4 inch slices
• 1 egg beaten
• panko bread crumbs
• pepper

For the salad:

• 3 oz arugula (half of a 6 oz bag)
• 1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds raw is also okay
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 6 figs halved or quartered
• crumbled goat cheese to top, if desired

Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings large or side salads Ingredients For the lemon dressing: 1 lemon juice and zest 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp dijon mustard 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 shallot finely chopped (if desired) salt and pepper to taste For the fried goat cheese: 5 oz goat cheese cut into approximately 12 1/4 inch slices 1 egg beaten panko bread crumbs pepper For the salad: 3 oz arugula (half of a 6 oz bag) 1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds raw is also okay 1/2 cup blueberries 6 figs halved or quartered crumbled goat cheese to top, if desired

Instructions

For the lemon dressing:

1. Whisk honey and lemon juice together until honey is dissolved.
2. Incorporate all other ingredients except shallots, and whisk again. Add shallots. Season with salt and pepper and adjust as needed.

For the fried goat cheese:

1. Heat approx. ¼ inch of oil (should be enough that it more than halfway covers the goat cheese slices) in a large skillet until it begins to shimmer.
2. Dip goat cheese slices into egg mixture, letting excess drip off, and then dip in breadcrumbs. Rest on wax paper.
3. Once oil is hot enough, add half of the slices of goat cheese to the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels, and fry remaining goat cheese.

For the salad:

1. Combine all ingredients except fried goat cheese (it's a bit fragile), and toss with lemon dressing.
2. Strategically place fried goat cheese on top of salad and top with additional goat cheese, if desired.