Recipe: Breaded Camembert, red grapes, oak leaf lettuce and walnuts

Breaded Camembert, red grapes, oak leaf lettuce and walnuts

Serves 4

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Camembert cheese

• 100g (generous ¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 3 eggs

• 125g (scant 1 cup) breadcrumbs

• 10 king walnut halves

• 100g (3½oz) oak Leaf lettuce

• 50g (generous ½ cup) lamb’s lettuce (mâche)

• 130g (4oz) seedless red grapes

• 1 tsp finely chopped shallot

• 1 tbsp chopped chervil

• 1 quantity honey, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar dressing (see below)

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Olive oil, to drizzle

Honey, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar dressing. Makes about 75ml.

• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1½ tsp Dijon mustard

• 1tsp wholegrain Dijon mustard

• 1tsp runny honey

• 50ml (3½ tbsp) olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. Start adding the oil, a trickle at a time, stirring well as you go. Keep going until all the oil has been combined. Use immediately.

Method

1. Slice the Camembert into eight identical portions.

2. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the eggs in a second shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.

3. Dip each slice of Camembert into the flour, then the egg, and then the breadcrumbs. Do this twice for each chunk so they are double-coated. Gently press the crumbs into place as you go. Place the breaded pieces of cheese in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan/450°F/Gas 8) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

5. Toast the walnut halves in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat for 3 minutes until golden.

6. Remove the Camembert from the fridge and place them on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with an extra pinch of salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

7. Place the salad leaves, grapes, walnuts, shallot, and chervil in a large salad bowl. When the cheese is cooked, stir the dressing in and serve immediately with two pieces of Camembert on each serving.

Recipe featured in Salads for all Seasons by Alexandra Stacey (DK). Photographs by Ola Smit.