Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4      large         Yukon gold or red potatoes
                        Vegetable or corn oil
   1      teaspoon      salt -- divided
   1      teaspoon      pepper, black -- divided
   8      slices        bacon
   5 1/2  tablespoons   balsamic vinegare or -- cut into thin wedges
     1/2  pound         frisee /gourmet salad greens -- torn
   1      tablespoon    fresh parsley -- chopped
   1      tablespoon    thyme -- fresh chopped
   1      tablespoon    chives -- chopped
   1      cup           balsamic vinegar
   1                    Granny Smith apple -- thinly sliced
                        Warm Goat Cheese Fondue
                        Parsley Oil
                        Chili Oil

Preparation:

Cut potatoes into rectangular blocks; dice trimmings. -Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 375'. Fry diced potato in oil 2 minutes or until golden. Drain and set aside. Fry potato blocks 6 minutes or until golden. Drain and place in a shallow pan. - Bake at 3 75' for IO minutes or until tender. - Sprinkle diced potato and potato blocks with '/, teaspoon salt and 1/2 tea- spoon pepper; cool ' - Boil I cup balsamic vinegar in a heavy nonstick skillet until reduced to 1/2 cup; set aside. - Cook bacon in skillet until crisp; re-move bacon, reserving 11/2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside. -Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 11/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to reserved drippings, stirring balsamic dressing well. - Combine diced potato, bacon, fris6e, and next 3 ingredients in a large salad bowl; drizzle with balsamic dressing, and toss gently. -Arrange salad evenly on individual salad plates; stand potato blocks up- right in center. Cut a slit in top of potato blocks; insert 3 or 4 apple wedges into each slit. - Spoon Warm Goat Cheese Fondue onto plates; spoon over potato, if desired. Drizzle plate with reduced vinegar, Parsley Oil, and Chili Oil. Serve immediately. Warm Goat Cheese Fondue 2 tablespoons minced shallot I tablespoon corn oil 2tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 3/. cup whipping cream 1(5.3-ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled 1/2teaspoon salt 1/2teaspoon cracked pepper - Cook shallot in oil in a large nonstick skillet until tender, stirring often; stir in chopped thyme and whipping cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; re- move from heat. Whisk in goat cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth. Yield: about 11/2 cups. Parsley Oil I bunch Italian parsley, chopped 1/2 cup corn oil - Combine parsley and oil in container of an electric blender, and process until combined, stopping once to scrape down sides; pour through a @re-mcsh strainer into a small bowl, discarding parsley. Yield: 1/@ cup. Chili Oil I tablespoon chili powder 1/2 cup corn oil - Cook chili powder in a nonstick skil- let over high heat I minute, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in oil; let stand 30 minutes. -Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding chili