Fresh figs are luxurious and sexy so they’re perfect for making a salad really special. You could use a blue cheese here instead of the goat’s cheese, or substitute smoked duck slices or warm duck breast, sliced, for the cheese.
Ingredients
- 10 fresh figs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 200g salad leaves, such as baby spinach, watercress or lambs lettuce or a mixture of all three
- 55g hazelnuts, halved and toasted
- 200g soft mild goat’s cheese, cut into chunks
- For the dressing
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 11/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp crème de cassis
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp hazelnut oil
Method
- 1. First, make the dressing. Put the mustard, some salt, black pepper and the vinegar into a cup and, using a fork, whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Check the seasoning, adding more as necessary. Set aside.
- 2. Halve the figs and brush with the oil. Heat a griddle pan and sprinkle the sugar on the cut side of the figs, then cook, cut-side down, over a medium-low heat for 3 minutes. The figs should be soft and caramelised.
- 3. Toss the salad leaves and hazelnuts with most of the dressing and arrange with the figs and cheese on a platter. Drizzle with more dressing to serve and put the remainder in a bowl on the side.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 482kcals, 38.8g fat (11.8g saturated), 14.6g protein, 18.9g carbs, 18.6g sugar, 0.8g salt
Wine Recommendation
There’s one grape which will pick up all the right notes in this lovely salad – Chenin Blanc. Vouvray from the Loire Valley is 100 per cent Chenin Blanc, but buy a dry or slightly off-dry example, not sweet.