Herb Crusted Goat Cheese and Heirloom Beet Salad

Ingredients

• 24 ounces heirloom variety beets, washed and trimmed
• 12 ounces goat cheese, separated into 1 ounce balls
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups Herb Crust, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 24 ounces arugula, cleaned
• 16 ounces balsamic vinaigrette, recipe follows

Directions

Boil beets until tender. Chill, peel, and cube beets.

Form cheese balls into 1 1/4-inch diameter disks. In a bowl, combine eggs and half-and-half together. Place flour and Herb Crust into separate pans. Dredge cheese balls in the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally the herb crust. Stack the medallions on parchment paper to prevent condensation. Fry goat cheese medallions until golden brown. Drain.

Toss the arugula in the balsamic vinaigrette, then place the 2 ounces of the arugula in the center of each plate. Arrange about 2 ounces of the beets around the rim. Place 1 goat cheese medallion on top of the arugula, and drizzle with additional balsamic vinaigrette over the beets.

Herb Crust:

• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley
• 1/4 bunch sage (1-ounce)
• 1/4 bunch thyme (1-ounce)
• 1/4 bunch rosemary (1-ounce)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 quart panko bread crumbs
• 1 ounce olive oil

Clean all herbs from stems and chop roughly. Finely chop herbs and garlic in food processor. Add breadcrumbs and olive oil. Process until distributed.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 6 ounces Aged balsamic vinegar
• 10 ounces extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients