• 8 oz (225g) baby spinach leaves, washed and dried well
• 2 Tbsp (30mL) balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp (2.5mL) Dijon mustard
• 6 Tbsp (90mL) extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 4 sweet, ripe strawberries, pureed

• 4 rounds of chevre (goat cheese), each about ½” (1.25cm) thick
• ½ cup (120mL) fresh breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup (60mL) hazelnuts
• ½ tsp (2.5mL) each dried basil and thyme
• 1 tsp (5mL) extra virgin olive oil

Chill the goat cheese until quite firm.

In a salad bowl, mix the vinegar and mustard together. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking well with each addition. Add a few grindings of black pepper and salt if desired. Then add the strawberries and mixing thoroughly.

Pour the other 1 tsp (5mL) olive oil onto a small plate. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts fine, mix them with the breadcrumbs and dried herbs, and put on another plate or shallow dish. Dip a round of cheese into the oil and then coat with herbed nut-crumb mixture on both sides. Repeat with other rounds of cheese. Bake on a cookie tray at 400ºF for about 10 minutes.

Add the spinach to the bowl of dressing and toss well to coat the leaves. Arrange on four plates and top each salad with a round of baked cheese. Serve immediately.