I have a fig tree in my backyard. I got it as a start four years ago, and it had been sitting in a huge pot, up until last winter. Up until this summer, it had only produced one tiny, lovely, and delicious fig two years ago.
As I was saying, it was transplanted while dormant, and it totally came alive this Spring. It is now covered in figs, and I’m just waiting for them to ripen. I am so excited!
But the waiting is torturous, especially since figs are currently showing up in markets and mine just aren’t ready yet. And even though I know I have a bunch coming, I’ve been buying them and experimenting with recipes.
I’m not going to share a bunch of them yet, but I will tempt you with this one.
I recently found a bottle of fig balsamic vinegar, so I decided to try making my favorite dressing with it. I must say, it’s perfect with this salad, though any balsamic vinegar will work.
This salad also has grapes in it—I used two different kinds, just because I had them on hand. I especially love the champagne grapes—pretty little purple ones.
I have an excuse to use arugula here—it’s happily growing in a corner of my yard. I don’t have to plant it since it’s readily reseeding itself. It works so well with this salad, since the sweetness of the fruit helps to balance the bitterness, along with the garlic in the dressing.
Arugula, Fig, and Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup of arugula leaves
- 2 pieces prosciutto, torn
- 4 figs quartered, any kind
- A handful of grapes, any kind
- ½ oz goat cheese, crumbled
- Arugula flowers for garnish
Arrange all ingredients on a plate. Serve with Balsamic Dressing.
Dressing can be found here.
