SIMPLE AUTUMN FIG SALAD
This isn’t one of our normal recipes, as it’s so simple it doesn’t really deserve its own post; however, it is one of my favorite dinner salads to serve during the Fall, so I wanted to share it! This salad is filled with sweet and nutty Autumnal flavors but is simple enough to serve alongside rich, heartwarming dishes – we love it so much we even added it to the menu at Villa Blanca! It’s elegant and can be made in just a few minutes – plus, it has all the components I love in a salad – crunchy almonds, salty cheese, juicy fresh fruit and a touch of sweetness in the dressing! Enjoy!
PREPARATION
1. Make the balsamic reduction (recipe below)
2. In a bowl, toss the figs, blue cheese, almonds and arugula together, reserving some of each to garnish with.
3. Drizzle the salad with good olive oil and a touch of balsamic reduction (not too much, taste it and then add more if necessary!). Toss to combine.
4. Top with remaining figs, almonds and blue cheese.
5. Crack black pepper over the top!
INGREDIENTS
Baby arugula
Fresh ripe figs, halved
Blue cheese
Slivered almonds
Balsamic reduction
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
BALSAMIC REDUCTION
Make this at home instead of buying it! Normally, store-bought ones have all sorts of stabilizers and sugar in them, and making it at home is so easy!
1. Add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a non-stick saucepan.
2. If you prefer a sweeter balsamic glaze then also add 1 tbsp of honey – I personally like to make it without sugar, as I find it sweet enough on its own and I like to maintain the acidity!
3. Bring quickly to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until the glaze coats the back of a spoon. Don’t leave it too long as it will get very sticky!
