Mesclun & Arugula Salad with Warm Cambozola Croutons
This mesclun and arugula salad combines peppery greens, radicchio, sweet pear and dried apricots, crunchy walnuts, and warm Cambozola croutons with a sherry and champagne vinegar mustard vinaigrette. I first created this salad while working in a resort kitchen, where I was fortunate to have access to exceptionally fresh ingredients.
A sherry and champagne vinegar vinaigrette brings everything together with whole-grain and Dijon mustards, honey, shallot, garlic, and fresh thyme.
If you grow your own salad greens, my beginner’s guide to growing salad greens indoors covers varieties, lighting, harvesting, and more.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For mesclun and arugula the salad
- 4 cups fresh mesclun
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup thinly sliced or torn radicchio
- 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- Sherry and Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette, as needed
- Warm Cambozola Croutons
- Sliced grilled chicken, optional
Sherry and Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon very finely minced shallot
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 7 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar, whole-grain mustard, Dijon mustard, honey, shallot, garlic, and fresh thyme.
While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil. Follow with the olive oil and continue whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust the balance with a little additional vinegar, honey, or oil if needed.
Set aside while you prepare the salad.
Warm Cambozola Croutons
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Cambozola cheese
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
Cut the Cambozola into approximately 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan or plate and place them in the freezer while you prepare the breading station.
Set out three shallow bowls.
In the first bowl, add the flour and season it with salt and pepper.
In the second bowl, whisk the eggs with a small splash of cream and season with salt and pepper.
Add the panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl and season them lightly with salt and pepper.
Working in small batches, coat the Cambozola cubes in the following order:
Flour → egg → flour → egg → panko
Begin by tossing the cheese cubes lightly in the seasoned flour. Tap off any excess flour before transferring them to the egg mixture.
Coat the cubes in egg and allow the excess to drain away. Return them to the flour for a second coating, followed by another dip in the egg mixture.
Transfer the cubes to the panko. Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto every side of each cube to form a complete crust.
The double coating of flour and egg helps create a sealed shell around the cheese, reducing the chance that the Cambozola will leak through the crust as it melts during frying.
Arrange the breaded cubes in a single layer and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to help the breading set.
Deep-fry the Cambozola croutons until the crust is crisp and golden brown.
Remove them from the oil and allow the excess oil to drain. Keep the croutons warm while you assemble the salad.
How to Assemble the Mesclun and Arugula Salad
Rinse the greens under cool running water and dry them thoroughly before assembling the salad. For more guidance, see the FDA’s recommendations for washing fresh produce.
Once thoroughly dry, combine the mesclun, arugula, and radicchio in a large bowl.
Add a small amount of the vinaigrette and toss gently until the greens are lightly dressed. Add more dressing only if needed.
Divide the dressed greens among individual plates.
Top each salad with sliced pear, chopped dried apricots, and walnuts.
Arrange the warm Cambozola croutons over the salad, then finish with a light drizzle of the sherry and champagne mustard vinaigrette.
Serve immediately while the croutons are crisp and the Cambozola is warm and soft inside.
For a more substantial meal, serve the mesclun and arugula salad with sliced grilled chicken.
Have greens left after making this salad? Try these five ways to use a small harvest of fresh greens.
A note on the dressing
This vinaigrette is a home-sized recreation of a dressing I originally developed by taste while working in a professional kitchen. The combination of sherry and champagne vinegars gives it both depth and brightness, while whole-grain mustard, Dijon, honey, shallot, garlic, and thyme give it enough character to stand up to peppery arugula and radicchio without overwhelming the more delicate mesclun.
The small amount of olive oil adds flavor, while the more neutral grapeseed oil keeps the vinaigrette from becoming too heavy.
