Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Green Salad with Figs and Goat Cheese

Here's a simple salad with one of summer's special treats - sweet figs. I hadn't tried figs for years ... I don't know why. I've known my youngest daughter loves them, but when I saw the look of delight on her face when she bit into a fresh fig at our farmer's market, I thought I'd give then another try. Wow, I'm glad I did! Figs make their summer appearance right now at farmer's markets here in Sacramento, as well as those elsewhere in California and throughout the west. Get them quick, and enjoy a delicious treat.

Ingredients:
4 cups mixed baby salad greens
8 figs, cut in half lengthwise
4 tsp. goat cheese
4 tsp. chopped pecans
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp. minced shallots
Directions:
Divide salad greens among four plates. Top with equal portions of figs, goat cheese, and pecans. Make dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and shallots together. Pour dressing over salad.
Serves 4
Stealthy Cooking Tip: I made these with Black Mission figs, but any variety will work equally well. There are over 150 varieties! All fresh figs are perishable, so use them quickly. With their multitude of crunchy, sweet seeds, figs are a good source of fiber.

No comments: