Salade de Chevre et Figues
This simple entree was inspired by a similar dish (without figs) prepared by Bernard and Genevieve at their B&B, Prieure de 'Epinay in the Loire Valley, in April 2012. The evening meal they shared with us always brings a smile to our faces.
Ingredients
- 4 large slices of baguette
- 140g chèvre (goat’s cheese)
- 3 fresh figs, quartered
- 3 dried figs, sliced
- 8 walnut halves
- ½ cup fig vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the salad
- 2 handfulls of mixed salad greens
- 1 small French shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fig vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- Lightly toast the baguette slices.
- Cut the chèvre into 16 slices.
- Preheat the grill.
- Place the fig vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Boil until reduced to half quantity and a little syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place the toasted baguette slices onto a baking/grilling tray and arrange 4 slices of chèvre and 3 fig quarters on top of each slice, and then drizzle with olive oil. Place the walnut halves on the tray around the toasts and then grill until the cheese is golden.
- Place the toasts onto individual serving plates together with some salad and scatter the walnut halves and dried fig slices over.
- Finally drizzle with the fig vinegar syrup and then serve immediately.
For the salad
- Place the Dijon mustard into a bowl and add the fig vinegar and olive oil. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper, and if necessary you might like to add a pinch or two of sugar.
- Add the shallots and stir through.
- Just before serving, add the washed salad greens and, using your hands, carefully toss to coat the greens with the dressing.
Notes:
- Source: SBA’s Kitchen
- Inspired by a delicious meal prepared by Bernard and Genevieve at their B&B, Prieure de ‘Epinay in the Loire Valley in April 2012. The evening meal they shared with us always brings a smile to our faces.
- Use white balsamic vinegar with a chopped fresh fig, if you do not have fig vinegar to make the syrup. Remove the fresh fig before drizzling. For the dressing, you could use red wine vinegar.
