Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Appetizer: Sauteed Panner with Herbed Vinaigrette

I had a package of paneer (South Asian fresh cheese) in the fridge which I wanted to use up.  Other than making a curry, I had very little idea of what to do with it.  With friends coming over for dinner, and nothing to offer beforehand other than some chips, I decided to use it as an appetizer. 

I cut it into centimeter-thick slices, then cut each slice in half.  Patted them dry with paper towels, then seasoned with salt & pepper.  I sauteed them in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until they were beautifully browned on both sides, and arranged the slices onto a platter.  Made a vinaigrette consisting of 1/4 c olive oil, 2 T lemon juice, the grated rind of half the lemon, a fat clove of garlic and fresh chopped herbs from the garden (in this case it was rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, mint and chives - but anything fresh will do).  Poured it over the paneer, turned each piece until coated, and scattered a few cherry tomatoes amongst for colour.  Covered it and allowed it to marinate at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Delicious served as-is, but if you had a baguette to hand to mop up all the lovely marinade, all the better.

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