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One of the best things about Parisian cafes is that there is always the choice of a well- made salad with fresh ingredients. And almost always you can count on there being a salad of mixed greens with goat cheese topped toast. In this simple recipe we top pain Poilane with slices of a semi-soft goats milk cheese, and toast them until they turn slightly brown.

Pain Poilane is a rustic sourdough bread made with grey flour, of which the wheat bran has not been fully stripped away (so it is not quite whole wheat, yet not fully white). It has a slightly sourdough taste, and delightfully chewy texture. The bread is still baked on the Rue du Cherche-Midi in the Quartier Latin of Paris, where it originated under the skillful hands of Lionel Poilane. If you cannot find this bread, another rustic loaf will do.

For the Salad:
1 head of escarole, rinsed well and dried
¼ head of radicchio, rinsed well and dried
Scant handful of walnuts
4 thin slices of pain Poilane
4 slices of a good quality semi-soft goat cheese
1-2 T of vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T white wine vinegar
Pinch of salt
1 T olive oil

We recommend washing the whole head of escarole at once, and then reserving half of it in a plastic zip-lock bag lined with a moist paper towel. You will have enough for another salad for later.
Chop the escarole and radicchio into small pieces and combine the leaves together in a bowl. Sprinkle on the walnuts.
Place the slices of cheese on top of the bread and toast until the cheese becomes slightly browned on top. You can toast the bread before topping it with the cheese as well.
Meanwhile, combine the mustard, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil with a fork. This is a very basic vinaigrette that you can save in the fridge.

Toss the salad with enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat the leaves (you should have some left over). Serve the salad with the warm goat cheese toasts.