These past couple of frigid Pittsburgh days have left me desiring something a little bit more tropical. Okay, maybe not tropical but definitely something fresh and bright to help me thaw out a bit. We’ve had quite an impressive stint of sweet recipes, which have undoubtedly kept us warm this winter. But now I feel that it’s time to revisit the savory side of cooking. Our next beer-centric recipe needs to pack a massive punch of flavor, highlight a delicious Pittsburgh brew, and have a light, freshness to wake me up from what seems to be an eternal winter slumber of stews and soups.

We’ve been toying around with the idea of making a beer salad dressing for quite some time now. And now that I’ve committed myself to brightening things up around here, I need to pull out the big guns. Hop Farm Brewing Co. was the first brewery to come to mind for this flavorful dish. Their flagship IPA is beyond delicious. It’s packed full of fresh piney, citrusy hops and finishes with a beautiful earthiness. And the name Hop Farm alone screams fresh, leafy things. So basically, this beer/salad combo is meant to be. The only question is: why hasn’t this happened sooner?

I love working with fresh produce, especially herbs. The rich coloring, the aroma, the crunch, all of it inspires me to get creative in the kitchen. And it reminds me of those hot summer days when we could pick fresh herbs from our patio garden.

Herb and Panko Goat Cheese Rounds with Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing Herb

So I decided to include all of my favorite salad items in this new dish. Crisp herbs for freshness, goat cheese for a creamy tanginess, and lemon for a bright, citrusy note. Hop Farm’s Flagship IPA is the perfect ingredient to tie it all together.

We present to you….

Panko Crusted Herb Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad with a Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing. The crunchy, peppery arugula is perfectly complemented by the smooth, bright, lemony IPA dressing. The tangy baked goat cheese rounds are crunchy on the outside, and oozy gooey herb-tastic on the inside. Each part of the salad is delicious on its own, but when eaten together in one harmonious bite, it’s a complete show stopper. This is like high-end restaurant material right here. And it’s beyond easy to make. Here’s how…

Herb and Panko Goat Cheese Rounds with Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing Dressing

Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing Ingredients (makes about 1 cup)

  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 TBSP Hop Farm IPA*
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 heaping tsp of sugar
  • salt & pepper to taste
*Don’t have access to Hop Farm IPA? Use a earthy, citrusy IPA instead

Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing Directions

  • Purée lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot, oil, beer, mustard, and sugar in a blender until smooth
  • season with freshly ground salt and pepper

Herb Baked Goat Cheese Rounds

Herb and Panko Goat Cheese Rounds with Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing Rounds

Ingredients for Rounds and Salad

  • 8 oz goat cheese
  • 8 TBSP fresh herbs, chopped (we used basil, parsley, rosemary, and sage)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Arugula or mixed baby greens
  • Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing

Directions

  1. Preheat over to 400 degrees F
  2. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray
  3. Place goat cheese in freezer for 10 minutes
  4. Slice goat cheese into 8 (1 oz) rounds
  5. Roll rounds into circles and then flatten with hand
  6. Place chopped herbs, egg wash and Panko bread crumbs into small, separate bowls
  7. Press goat cheese round into fresh herbs
  8. Gently dip round into egg wash
  9. Then coat with Panko bread crumbs
  10. Place on aluminum covered baking sheet. Continue process with remaining 7 goat cheese rounds
  11. Season with freshly ground pepper
  12. Bake for 8-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted in the middle

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Salad Assembly

  1. Toss the salad with the Hop Farm IPA Salad Dressing (a little goes a long way)
  2. Place two warm goat cheese rounds on top of each salad and indulge immediately*
  3. Enjoy the feeling of being a master chef in your own kitchen

Cheer’s N’at       Devo and Tim
Pennies, Pints, Pittsburgh

We are a husband & wife blogging team who loves beer, food, and Pittsburgh. We were both born and raised in the City of Bridges and now are proudly raising our own family here. Pittsburgh is going through a tremendous craft beer boom and we are beyond thrilled to be a part of it. We enjoy blogging about the local craft beer scene and also enjoy the challenge of effectively incorporating those local beers into some of our favorite recipes.

*The salad dressing is best when consumed fresh. The flavors intensify greatly when left over night in the fridge, especially the onion note.

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