Arugula Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese -- The Side Dish That Quietly Stole the Show

Valentine's Day. Still single. The balcony still seats two and one chair is still empty. But this year, I'm okay with it in a way I wasn't last year. Last year there was a longing — a quiet ache for someone to cook for. This year, the longing is still there, but it's patient. It's not urgent. It's simmering, like bigos. It'll be ready when it's ready. I made Valentine's dinner for Mom and Dad again — the tradition I started last year. This time: seared duck breast with cherry sauce (the cherries from the same supplier I use for Forest Floor), roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary, and a salad of arugula, goat cheese, candied walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. Dessert: p─àczki, because Fat Thursday is this week and I can kill two birds with one stone. The duck was my first time cooking duck. It's trickier than steak — you score the skin and render the fat slowly, starting in a cold pan, letting the fat melt out before the heat crisps the skin. The result, when done right, is something magical: skin as crispy as a cracker, meat pink and tender, a layer of rendered fat that bastes everything in richness. I did it right. The cherry sauce — made with the dried tart cherries, red wine, and a touch of honey — was the perfect counterpoint. Sweet, tart, winey. Dad tried the duck and said, "What kind of meat is this?" I said duck. He said, "Huh." Ate three slices. Said, "I didn't know I liked duck." Mom had two slices and told me I should apply to culinary school, which I will not do because culinary school is expensive and also because my school is Babcia's recipe cards and Mrs. Wojcik's kitchen and the Polish Center and the brewing floor and my own apartment where I fail and learn and fail and learn. The p─àczki were excellent. Rose hip jam filling, powdered sugar, golden and pillowy. Dad had three. Mom had two and took four home "for later" (she'll eat them tomorrow at 6 AM with coffee, I guarantee it). The coronavirus is everywhere in the news now. Italy is getting hit hard. Cases rising globally. The word "pandemic" is being used. It still doesn't feel real here — Milwaukee is cold and normal and the biggest concern is the Bucks' playoff seeding — but there's a hum of anxiety in the background, like a frequency you can't quite hear but can feel.

The duck and the pączki got all the attention that night — rightfully so — but the salad was what made the plate feel complete. Arugula, creamy goat cheese, candied walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette: it’s the kind of dish that doesn’t shout, but without it something’s missing. I kept the recipe loose and intuitive, the way I’ve learned to cook from Babcia’s cards, and it came together in the time it took the duck fat to render. If you’re building a dinner around something rich and deeply savory, this is the salad you want next to it.

Arugula Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz short pasta (such as fusilli or penne)
• 4 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
• 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup candied walnuts
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and let cool to room temperature.
2. Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Combine the salad. In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the arugula. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss gently until everything is lightly coated — the arugula will wilt slightly from the dressing, which is fine.
4. Finish and serve. Top with crumbled goat cheese, candied walnuts, and sun-dried tomatoes if using. Taste for seasoning, add a final crack of black pepper, and serve immediately at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 50g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 280mg