One of my favourite’s: Cashel Blue Cheese Salad
Although Summer doesn’t officially start until 21st June, for me summer kicks in after the June Bank Holiday weekend. The salad leaves in the garden are ready for use, so there’s no better time to use them, and the tomatoes in the tunnel are red and juicy, ready to be picked. With that in mind I am sharing with you one of my favourite salad recipes, Cashel Blue Cheese Salad. If you’re not a fan of Blue Cheese you could replace the cheese with some goats cheese or even mozzarella. Cashel Blue is a handmade, semi-soft, pasteurized cows’ milk blue veined cheese, named after the Rock of Cashel which overlooks the pastures close to the farm in Tipperary where it’s produced. This cheese makes a fantastic addition to any cheese board.
There has never been a better time to enjoy the quality artisan cheeses that Ireland has to offer, this is because of the quality of the dairy herds, which graze on the lush pastures and, of course, the dedication of the people involved. Cashel Blue, Ardrahan, Knockdrinna, Cooleeney, Sheridans, Dingle Peninsula, St. Tola, Cratloe, Croghan and Durrus are just a few to mention, and thankfully most are now readily available in local supermarkets and farmers markets.
Hopefully you’ll give this a try, it’s a perfect lunch treat, specially served with a decent glass of wine!
Kevin
CASHEL BLUE CHEESE SALAD
Serves 4
Cashel Blue cheese is Ireland's first farmhouse blue cheese, it is very versatile with many culinary uses as it has a slightly creamier consistency and lower salt content than most other blue cheeses
500g Mixed Salad Leaves, cleaned and washed
1 bunch Watercress cleaned and washed
100g crumbled Cashel blue cheese
25g Pecans/Walnuts, caramelized
100g prosciutto, thinly sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
100g Raspberries
Viniagrette
100g Raspberries
1 Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Honey
100ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
Firstly to prepare the raspberry vinaigrette, combine 100g of fresh raspberries with the lemon juice and using a handblender and blitz until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve to remove any seeds.
In a second bowl, pour in the puréed raspberry then add the honey, olive oil, and seasoning. Whisk to obtain a silky vinaigrette, store until needed. (Should the viniagrette split, whisk gently before serving).
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Place the proscuitto on a baking tray and place in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool.
In a bowl combine the salad leaves, watercress, caramelised pecans, prosciutto, tomatoes, cashel blue cheese, vinaigrette and salt and toss gently. Add the remaining raspberries and combine using your hand through the salad.
Serve immediately.
The salad leaves in the garden are ready for use, so there’s no better time to use them”