Cherry

Summer Fruit Salad With Fried Goat Cheese

by:
July 11, 2021
5
2 Ratings
Summer Fruit Salad With Fried Goat Cheese
Photo by Marissa Mullen
  • Prep time 25 minutes
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

I'm all about fresh fruit in the summertime. Produce like cherries, peaches, and strawberries peak in the summer months, and come together wonderfully in salad form. On the cheese front, goat cheese is my go-to pairing with juicy fresh fruit, thanks to its slight tang and creamy texture. With this salad, I took it one step further, molding the fresh goat cheese into even balls, breading with panko, and frying in oil for a crispy, crunchy finish—kind of like a crouton, but cheesy. With cucumber for a refreshing balance, fresh herbs for fragrance, and a lemon vinaigrette for zing, you'll be craving this salad all summer long. —Marissa Mullen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Salad
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into coins and quartered (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup quartered strawberries
  • 1/2 cup pitted and quartered cherries
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow peaches
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Fried Goat Cheese Balls
  • 8 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese), at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup panko
  • Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
  • Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Directions
  1. Roll the goat cheese into equal 1-inch balls. Place the flour, beaten eggs, and panko in shallow bowls. Roll each cheese ball in flour, then dip into the egg and shake off the excess. Next, roll in the panko. Place on a sheet pan or plate in the freezer for 20 minutes, until firm when poked.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium serving dish, combine the cucumbers, strawberries, cherries, peaches, dill, basil, and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice with more salt and pepper until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad and set aside.
  4. Coat the bottom of a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet with canola oil and heat until it reaches 350°F to 400°F. Working with two or three at a time, carefully place the goat cheese balls in the oil. Fry, rotating the balls every 20 to 30 seconds, until all sides are browned. Set on a paper-towel-lined plate.
  5. Repeat with the remaining balls, then sprinkle with flaky salt.
  6. Add the goat cheese balls to the salad and serve immediately.
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Marissa Mullen
Marissa Mullen is a Brooklyn-based food stylist, recipe developer, photographer and cheese lover. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of the Cheese By Numbers method. She is also the author of the best-selling cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, a step-by-step styling guide for crafting beautiful and delicious cheese plates as a form of creative expression. Featured on The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Business Insider, Vox among others, Marissa is dedicated to bringing people together through creativity, food and entertainment.

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1 Review

kilodelta
kilodelta July 5, 2021
Most refreshing salad I’ve made this summer! Perfect combination of crunchy and sweet with the cucumbers and fruit, and the goat cheese was pretty easy to bread and fry up, and such a good savory contrast. I’ll be making this again for sure.