I can still remember the days when I was repulsed by the word “fig”. It sounded like something an old lady with no teeth would eat … then I became an old lady (still have my teeth, thank goodness) and fig season is pretty much my favorite time of year. In California you can start finding figs in early June and continue to see them in stores until December — a deliciously long season to eat a fabulous fig salad for lunch.
Salad typically infers there is lettuce involved, but the truth is, most of the time lettuce offends me — what a waste of a chew. Of course there are times the lettuce enhances your salad, but more and more I find myself leaving out the lettuce and beefing up on all other ingredients. Here’s what you’re going to need to make one for yourself:
(3) Figs
(1) Handful of yellow cherry tomatoes — I like the yellow against the beautiful purples and pinks of the fig.
(1) Tablespoon of goat cheese, crumbled — do yourself a favor and use a heaping spoonful, goat cheese rules.
Balsamic Vinegar (not vinaigrette), to drizzle — you can substitute a salad dressing, but I like that I’m only adding one ingredient to my salad, instead of adding one dressing that has seven different ingredients.
Slice the figs, halve the tomatoes, throw it all in a bowl, top with crumbled goat cheese & drizzle with balsamic vinegar — voilà! A delicious fig-tastic lunch. If a salad won’t fill you, you might also want to have something on the side, such as a baked chicken breast. Keep it healthy. Orrrrr you could have a bag of peanut M&M’s on the side, like I did yesterday. Either way, the salad is fabulous.
OK “offend” is a strong word to describe my disdain for lettuce, but my generation seems to use it all to often so I thought I might just throw it in there for dramatic effect — but really, lose the lettuce. It’s a waste of time. Enjoy!