Smoked Trout and Crispy Capocolla Salad with Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette and Herbed Goat Cheese Medallions

Serves | 4 |

Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• juice of 2 to 3 lemons
• 2 Tbsp honey
• ¼ cup olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Herbed Goat Cheese Medallions

• 8 oz fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1½ tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
• fat pinch kosher salt
• fat pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

Smoked Trout and Crispy Capocolla Salad

• 6 oz mixed tender greens such as arugula, spinach or baby kale
• lemon-balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• 8 oz smoked trout fillets, skin removed, flaked with fork
• 8 oz Volpi capocolla, crisped in oven or pan (see notes for directions)
• 12 herbed goat cheese medallions (recipe follows)
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

| Preparation - Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette | In a small bowl, combine vinegar, lemon juice and honey; stream in olive oil slowly and whisk until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to use.

| Preparation - Herbed Goat Cheese Medallions | In a small mixing bowl, combine softened goat cheese, parsley and lemon zest; using a fork, combine until ingredients are evenly distributed. Season to taste with salt and pepper; refrigerate one hour. Once chilled, scoop level tablespoons of goat cheese mixture and use your hands to pat into 12 balls. Roll in chopped pecans until coated; flatten slightly into medallions and refrigerate until ready to use.

| Preparation - Salad | In a serving bowl, toss greens with 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette and divide onto 4 plates; divide flaked trout over top and place crisped capocolla down the center. Set 3 medallions around each plate. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons capers and season with salt and pepper.

| To serve | Dress with more fresh lemon vinaigrette over top and serve immediately.