Pan-Fried Cheese with Anchovy-Date Salad

Yes, that is fried cheese.

It is every bit as delicious as you’d think it would be – crunchy and melty, a little salty and sweet, pretty much to die for. Thank you Melissa Clark – I asked for her new cookbook for Christmas, In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite, and I’ve been consistently thrilled since I opened it.

Peppery arugula is a lovely foil for the creamy cheese, as is the citrus dressing, which offers nothing less than a bite of sunshine on a cold, winter’s day.  Somehow this salad manages to be at once comforting and yet refreshing, no easy feat.

I used almond flour to make it gluten-free.  You could instead use gluten-free breadcrumbs (and just skip the flour).  Have the greens ready to go so that you can serve the salad as soon as the crispy-molten cheese emerges from the oil.

An oh, tuck the dressing recipe in the back of your mind because you’re going to want to eat it on pretty much everything.

Pan-Fried Cheese with Anchovy-Date Salad
From In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark
Serves 4-6

1 medium orange
1 large lemon
4 large diced dates (about 1/4 c.)
6 anchovy fillets, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs (I skipped these)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Extra-virgin olive oil or safflower oil, for frying (about 3/4 c.)
Bitter leafy greens, such as arugula, watercress, and/or radicchio, for serving

To make the anchovy-date dressing, zest and juice the orange and lemon, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice and 2 tsp. of the orange juice.  Place the zest and reserved juice in a medium bowl and stir in the dates, anchovies, and garlic.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing comes together.

To make the cheese, place the flour on a plate, the egg in a bowl, and the bread crumbs on a separate plate.  Coat each slice of cheese in the flour, dip in the egg, and then coat in the bread crumbs.  (Note: I just dipped the cheese in the egg and then coated with almond flour.)

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Using tongs, dip 1 cheese slice into the oil.  If the oil sizzles slightly, it is ready.  Working with 2-3 cheese slices at a time, fry the cheese until golden brown, 15-20 seconds per side.  Transfer the slices to a plate and dab off the excess oil with a paper towel.  Repeat with the remaining cheese slices.

Serve the fried cheese hot on a bed of greens topped with the anchovy-date dressing.