Baby arugula with panko crusted goat cheese, olives and honey

---

A nod to a similar version at Jamie Kennedy’s Wine Bar in Toronto, this dish is all about texture, with the smooth goat cheese playing off its panko crust, the tender arugula paired with dressed-up olives. We also love the method of descending the delicate goat cheese disks in oil, rather than simply flipping them, which can cause them to crumble.

---

Ingredients

1 egg

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 goat cheese log, cut into 6 1 ⁄ 2-inch disks

4 tablespoons olive oil

5 cups baby arugula

Warmed honey to drizzle

Fried olives

18 green pitted olives

1 ⁄ 2 cup flour

1 egg white

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Vegetable oil for frying

---

Preparation

For olives, pat olives dry with paper towel; roll in flour, then dip in egg wash and roll in panko to coat. Heat oil in small pot to medium high heat, then working in batches and using a slotted spoon, carefully place olives in oil until golden, about 20 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towel; set aside.

For goat cheese, in a shallow dish, beat egg; in another dish place panko; dip goat cheese pieces into egg, then press each side into panko. Heat oil in a large skillet to medium high heat; working in batches, fry goat cheese disks until golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towel.

To serve, place mound of arugula on each serving plate, top with 1 warm goat cheese disk and 3 olives; drizzle with warmed honey. Serve immediately. Serves 6.