Fig Salad Dressed in Honey and Balsamic Vinegar

Serve figs that are just shy of perfect ripeness in a composed salad with spring greens and goat cheese. Drizzled with a honey and balsamic dressing, then topped with candied pecans, this Fig Salad is a beautiful way to enjoy the exquisite flavor of these exotic gems.

Finding Figs

Since discovering figs a few years ago I have cautiously nurtured my interest in this exotically sweet fruit. With care it has grown into a seasonal attraction. Not always easy to come by, even when they are in season, I was able to find a reliable source for figs in the Pacific Northwest. I wasn’t sure, however, where I would find them in my new home in Tennessee.

Not to worry, I spied some lovely figs just a few weeks ago. They were nestled in a small box among the seasonal berries at The Fresh Market. There, for $3 I acquired about a dozen beautiful two-bite sized mission figs. Then last week, at the local farmer’s market, I found them again. This time the small velvety fruit was even fresher and more appealing.

Composing a Fig Salad

While I am attracted to figs my past experience with them has been mixed. Very nearly ripe I admire their modest outward appearance and enjoy the complex sweetness. Barely past perfect ripeness I shy away from the almost cloying tear-shaped softness and sandy sweet crunch of these dark gems.

It took some time for me to understand how to gauge the ripeness of figs, and I am still learning. I’ve found that a ripe fig should yield only slightly when pressed. Beware of figs that are too soft, but then you don’t want them to be firm to the touch either.

Fully ripe figs have a profound depth to their sweetness. The flavor is so wonderfully rich and exotic that I think it is best enjoyed on its own, as a singular treat. A fig that is just shy of perfect ripeness, however, is excellent for pairing with goat cheese and honey or quartered to scatter with red onion and gorgonzola on a pizza. That is the stage where they are best suited to use in this deliciously composed Fig Salad.

Fig Salad Dressed in Honey and Balsamic Vinegar

Course: Salad, AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Chilling Time

15

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Honey and balsamic vinegar, smooth chèvre and candied pecans highlight the rich sweetness of figs in this beautiful composed salad.

Ingredients

• ½  cup pecan halves, divided

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 6 ounces chèvre

• Mixed baby salad greens

• 12 small figs

• 2 Tablespoons honey

• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions

• In a small nonstick skillet, toast pecans over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and golden. Transfer pecans to a small dish.
• Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add the butter and brown sugar, stirring until melted and combined.  Add ¼ cup of the toasted pecans. Cook and stir for two or three minutes, until the pecans are well coated. Remove to a small dish and set aside.
• Chop the remaining ¼ cup of toasted pecans. Form the chèvre into a log and roll the outside in the chopped pecans, pressing the pecans around the outside of the chèvre. Wrap the chèvre in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes or so, or until ready to assemble the salad. (You want the chèvre to be firm enough to slice but it need not be chilled through.)
• To assemble the salad:
• Place a handful, about 1 cup, of baby salad greens on each of 4 salad plates.
• Remove the stem and slice the figs in half  (or in quarters if the figs are large). Scatter two or three figs on top of the salad greens on each plate.
• Slice the pecan crusted chèvre into ¼ – ½ inch thick slices. Divide between the salad plates.
• In a small cup or bowl, whisk together the honey and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle evenly over the salads.  Top each salad with a few of the candied pecan halves.

Notes

• For an extra pretty garnish, slice small figs almost through in two directions, from the stem end down. Gently spread the quarters apart and stuff with chèvre. Drizzle the tops with a few drops of honey and top with a toasted pecan. Place one on each salad as a garnish, or serve as appetizers.