6ounceshighest quality salad greens you can find, a mix of tender sweet lettuces, washed, and dried. I like varieties like deer tongue, speckled romaine, oak leaf and small butterhead.
2slicesof rustic French bouleor another bread you like, cut into ½ inch slices +a little flavorless oil for grilling
¼cupsoftspreadable chevre (if your chevre isn't spreadable I loosen it by stirring in a little heavy cream)
Instructions
Trim, clean and rinse the morels if needed to remove any grit, then allow to dry on towels.
Dice the bacon into ½ inch cubes, then cook slowly in a heavy pan, like a cast iron skillet or 10 inch saute pan, add the vinegar to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then pour the bacon-vinegar mixture into a small bowl and reserve.
Wipe out the pan so you can cook the morels in it. Meanwhile, oil and grill the bread or fry in a pan (it's better grilled). Melt the butter in the pan and add the morels and cook until any juices have evaporated and the morels are caramelized, season the morels to taste with salt and pepper.
To plate the salad toss the vinegar-bacon dressing with the lettuces, adjust the seasoning as needed, then divide the salad evenly between two room temperature plates. Take a piece of hot grilled toast and smear with some of the goat cheese, then put on top of the salad, and divide the morels evenly between the two pieces of toast on each plate. Sprinkle each plate generously with the chives and serve immediately.
Notes
A great variation would be to get some really nice French cheese to melt on the toast here. St Marcellin, a brie, boucheron, or another of your choice would be great. I use my favorite chevre (from Donnay dairy) because it's what I had on hand, but you'd be rewarded for going out of your way to get a little bit of something special.