Warm Goat Cheese & Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 large yukon gold or red potatoes
• vegetable or corn oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, divided
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 pound torn frisee or gourmet salad greens
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 granny smith apple, cut into thin wedges
• Goat Cheese Fondue
• Parsley Oil

Instructions:

Cut the potatoes into rectangular block, dice the trimmings. Pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches into a dutch oven and heat to 375°. Fry the diced potato in oil for 2 minutes or until golden. Drain and set aside. Fry the potato blocks for 6 minutes or until golden. Drain and place in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle diced potatoes and potato blocks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, then cool. Boil 1 cup balsamic vinegar in heavy nonstick skillet until reduced to 1/2 a cup, then set aside. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then remove the bacon, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons drippings in the skillet. Crumble the bacon and set aside. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to the reserved drippings, stirring the balsamic dressing well. Combine the diced potato, bacon, frisee and next 3 ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing and toss gently. Arrange salad evenly on individual salad plates, then stand the potato blocks upright in the center. Cut a lit in the top of each potato block and insert 3 or 4 apple wedges in each slit. Spoon the warm goat cheese fondue onto the plates and over the potato, if desired. Drizzle the plates with reduced balsamic vinegar and parsley oil.

Goat Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• 1 tablespoon corn oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 (5.3oz) package goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

Instructions:

Saute the shallots in oil in a large nonstiick skillet until tender, then stir in the thyme and whipping cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat. Whisk in the goat cheese, salt and pepper until smooth.

Parsley Oil

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn oil

Instructions:

Process chopped parsley and oil in a blender until combined, then pour through a wire-mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding the parsley.