Grilled goats cheese red pepper salad and Manteiga de azeite

There are a few summer staples I just can´t do without. Goats cheese, red peppers and basil are but just three.This starter brings together strong contrasting flavours and a proper marriage of classic cuisine and bistro style cooking.Back in the day It was a popular favourite on the summer menu of my then catering business in London. I decided just this week that I would bring it back, put its popularity to the test of time by putting it on the menu here at Casa Rosada.The greatest plus about this dish for me is the minimum of pressure that can be achieved by the ability to prepare the ingredients in advance and just assemble them when required.

… Manteiga de Azeite ®

For the garnish of the salad I drizzled Manteiga de azeite, a unique product created  by Chef Renato Cunha at Restaurante Ferrugem in the little village of Portela, 45 minutes drive from Porto.





Grilled goats cheese red pepper salad 
with Manteiga de azeite
 serves 4 

1 x 180g goats cheese (chevre) log cut into 12 slices for 4 portions

FOR THE PEPPERS
2 red peppers, halved and seeded
Mixed salad leaves of your choice
Droplets of  manteiga de azeite or basil oil
Coat the peppers in some extra virgin olive oil.Roast 15 minutes skin side down in a very hot oven.turn and continue to roast for five minutes more.

TO SERVE
Pile a mound of dressed salad leaves in the centre of each plate.Lay a heated pepper half on top.Put three overlapping slices of chevre in the pepper shell.Squeeze droplets of manteiga de azeite or basil oil around the plate.Fire a gas gun at the cheese,just long enough for the whey to run off it.Wait a few  seconds then give the cheese a second burst with the gun to colour it.