This fig salad is a bridge between summer and fall: the weather is warm enough to warrant something light and easy for dinner, but seeing fresh figs for sale at the store signals the coming of chillier weather. For us here in Boston, a busy summer is melting into a busy fall. I’m settling into my job as a dietitian at the hospital, and David and I are still humming along as newlyweds.
We’ve decorated the windowsills of our apartment with the potted plants that served as the centerpieces at our guests’ tables. We knew early on in the wedding-planning process that we didn’t want large (or expensive) floral arrangements towering over the food, but thinking of a suitable alternative took some time. We worked with a florist who played off the blue theme of the aquarium setting to come up with a display of various plants and herbs housed in blue glass pots.
David put together an assortment aquatic animals as our table numbers, which he based on old ink drawings of sea creatures.
Not that potted plants or aquarium animals have much to do with the fig salad, but it’s fun to share what other creative avenues we’ve gone down this fall, apart from the food we’ve served at our table.
There are probably a zillion fig-salad renditions out there, but this one worked for us: the zesty bite of fresh arugula, the ripeness of the fresh figs, and the salty crunch of crisped prosciutto. It feels like figs are in season for such a brief time; they’re worth enjoying while we can.
Fig & Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
4 cups arugula
6 fresh figs, quartered
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
Vinaigrette
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt & pepper
Steps
1. Wash the arugula and the figs. Cut the figs in half and then in half again.
2. Crisp the prosciutto: arrange the slices in a single layer in a skillet (without adding oil/butter) and toast over medium heat until crispy. Chop into bite-size pieces.
3. Make the vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together.
4. Toss the arugula, the crumbled goat cheese, the prosciutto, and the vinaigrette. Top with fig slices and serve.
