I cannot serve this salad without thinking of my friend Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield. Her family is the Stuckey’s of the roadside stores and Pecan Log Rolls. Her grandfather opened his first pecan stand in 1937. This simple stand evolved into a veritable empire of Stuckey’s Pecan Shoppes, the highway heaven of souvenirs, cold drinks, and pecan candy. The pecan log roll, for the uninitiated, is a secret combination of sweet, fluffy goo in a coating of crushed pecans, created by Stephanie’s grandmother. In this recipe, once the goat cheese is rolled in pecans it looks undeniably like the candied confection, although the taste is savory.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　1 cup very finely chopped pecans

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 (6-ounce) log fresh goat cheese

　　4 to 6 thick slices country bread

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

　　1 shallot, very finely chopped

　　1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

　　2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

　　4 to 6 cups mesclun greens (about 4 ounces)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the broiler. Place the chopped pecans in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Roll the goat cheese log in the pecans to coat evenly. Refrigerate until firm, if necessary, then cut into 4 to 6 uniform rounds.

　　

Step 2

To heat the goat cheese toasts, place the bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with some of the olive oil. Place a round of goat cheese atop a piece of bread. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk the shallot, mustard, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is creamy and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 4

To serve, toss the salad greens with just enough dressing to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide among serving plates and top each salad with a warm goat cheese toast.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.