Nothing is more civilized than the combination of a salad and cheese. This dish adds a sharp, expressive contrast to such a rich main course. I prefer Stilton to play against the mildness of the Boucheron, but Gorgonzola dolce or Roquefort will do very nicely. Four leaves of endive on each plate are just enough to satisfy.
24 leaves of Belgian endive
vinaigrette with 1/2 teaspoon of fresh red pepper confetti
1 pound Boucheron cheese
1 pound Stilton or Gorgonzola dolce or Roquefort
1 seeded baguette, sliced
1 plain baguette, sliced
Remove cheese from refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving. Dress the 4 endive leaves on each plate with lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette (as above) to which you have added a tiny bit of finely chopped fresh red pepper. Add 2 slices of baguette (one of each type), and a 1/2 inch chunk of Boucheron and the same amount of blue cheese to each plate.
