Herbes de Provence Goat Cheese Salad with Caramelized Grapes
(Rewritten recipe)
In a small mixing bowl, combine softened goat cheese and herbes de Provence, stirring until the herbs are evenly distributed throughout the cheese. Shape the blended mixture into two 4-inch cylindrical logs, wrap tightly to seal, and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Add pecan pieces, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt to a large deep skillet set over medium heat. Stir frequently as it cooks, toasting the pecans for roughly 5 minutes until they turn lightly golden and release a rich, nutty aroma. Transfer the entire batch of toasted pecans to a plate to cool completely. Finely chop 1 cup of the cooled pecans, then spread the chopped pieces evenly across the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
Slice each chilled goat cheese log into 6 even round pieces. Roll each cheese slice in the chopped pecans, pressing gently to make sure the entire outer surface of the cheese is fully coated. Return the coated cheese slices to the fridge to chill until serving time. (If you prefer warm goat cheese, see the Cook’s Note at the end of the recipe for instructions.)
Wipe any leftover pecan crumbs out of your used skillet with a clean paper towel. Add grapes, sliced onion, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion turns tender and the grape skins start to soften and blister. Stir in white wine and fresh thyme, then let the mixture simmer for roughly 1 minute, until the wine reduces into a light glaze that coats the grapes and onion evenly.
To make the vinaigrette: Combine extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until all ingredients are fully combined and emulsified into a smooth dressing.
Add crisp leaf lettuce to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle ⅓ cup of the prepared vinaigrette over the lettuce, and toss until every leaf is lightly coated. Divide the dressed lettuce evenly between 4 individual serving plates. Top each plate with the cooked caramelized grapes and onion, sliced crisp apple, the pecan-crusted goat cheese rounds, and any remaining toasted pecans. Serve the salad with the leftover vinaigrette on the side for anyone who wants extra dressing.
