In the JNF Kitchen: Festive salad with goat cheese bruschetta

Yummy bruschetta from Alto Dairy in Israel's north. Just add salad.

This #RecipeOfTheWeek comes from Ariel Mazan, former kibbutz dairy farmer and owner of Alto Dairy in Israel's Western Galilee. Alto is owned and operated by the Mazan family and inspired by Ariel's Mazan's passion for cheese making. 

As Times of Israel said, "This family-run outfit is 'a little fanatic' about offering goat-only products." In the best possible way, of course. The dairy develops and produces a unique variety of cheese from the finest Galilean goat milk using traditional methods. When visiting Alto, travelers can stop by a boutique store and a coffee bar/restaurant serving a rich dairy menu including breakfast and lunch.

Alto Dairy is a member of JNF partner organization Western Galilee Now, a consortium of small businesses in the region. To get more of a sense of the treasures the Western Galilee has to offer, visit our photo gallery below (hover over a picture if you want to spend more time on it). 

More on the Western Galilee:
Off the beaten path in the Western Galilee, Israel's Napa Valley, in photos
Festival connects Israelis of all backgrounds with a traditional Christmas

Enjoy this #RecipeOfTheWeek, and if you make any of these recipes, be sure to send a photo of your creation to teddyherzl18@gmail.com or tweet it to @JNFUSA with the hashtag #JNFfoodie. We might share it! 

Ingredients

For the salad:
6 lettuce leaves
Mix of baby leaves
Sugar-coated Chinese pecans

For the dressing:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons citrus vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and pepper

For the bruschetta:
Sliced baguette
High-quality fig jam
Alto or any other goat Saint More cheese
Olive oil

Directions

Heat the oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar until evenly combined. Hand-cut the lettuce and mix in the bowl with the baby leaves and the citrus vinaigrette. 

Pour a few drops of olive oil on the baguette slices and top with a thin layer of fig jam. Place a slice of cheese on top, followed by a few more drops of olive oil. Bake until golden (approximately 7 minutes.)

Serve the salad with the sliced bruschetta on top, and sprinkle the Chinese pecans over the entire dish. 

Enjoy!   

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