• 1 fresh, soft goat’s cheese, e.g. Cléire, Lough Caum or St Tola
• 6 slices toasted French bread
• 18–24 fresh walnuts
• a selection of lettuces and salad leaves, e.g. butterhead, frisée, oakleaf, raddichio trevisano, rocket, salad burnet, golden marjoram, and chive or wild garlic flowers to garnish

Walnut Oil Dressing

• 2 tablesp. white wine vinegar
• 4 tablesp. walnut oil
• 2 tablesp. sunflower or arachide oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Wash and dry the salad leaves and tear all the large leaves into bite-sized bits. Make the Dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Cover each piece of toasted French bread with a three-quarter-inch (2 cm) slice of goat’s cheese. Just before serving, preheat the grill. Place the slices of bread and cheese under the grill and toast for 5 or 6 minutes or until the cheese is soft and slightly golden.

Meanwhile, toss the salad greens lightly in the Walnut Oil Dressing and drop a small handful onto each plate. Place a hot goat’s cheese croûton in the centre of each salad, scatter with a few walnut pieces and serve immediately. We sprinkle wild garlic or chive flowers over the salad in season.