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Blogs, Books, Cape Town, Chefs, Cook Books, Cooks, figs, food, Food Writing, Fruit and vegetables, Grapes, Herbs, In Season, Life, Photography, Sardines, Spices, Travel, travel Writing, Veal
In Season for February
Delicate and sweetly sensual, the fig is now in season; its arrival is one of the great pleasures of the long hot summer. Figs and grapes are considered to be ancient noble fruits. Most of the varieties grown locally in most gardens including my own, are the common green skinned variety, but there are also purple skinned varieties.
Once ripened the fig is extremely perishable and best consumed straight away or stored at the most for two to three days in the fridge.
Figs make a great salad when teamed with rocket leaves, torn basil and buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with a little aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. They also make wonderful accompaniments to many cheeses, poultry, and cured pork. They are also beautiful served as a dessert.
But today I am using the noble fruit in a beautiful salad.
Salad of Fig, Manchego Cheese & Walnuts, served with a Grape Dressing
Serves 6
Ingredients
110 g walnuts lightly roasted
100 g rocket
6 figs torn into chunks
120 g Manchego cheese, shaved
Dressing
½ tablespoons honey
1½ tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
2 shallots finely chopped
80 ml walnut or olive oil
200 g red or black grapes cut in half
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Method
For the dressing; whisk the honey, vinegar, chopped shallots and oil in a bowl to combine, then add the grapes and season to taste.
To assemble; toss the figs, rocket and walnuts together, then divide among the plates, and drizzle with the grape dressing, then scatter the Manchego cheese shavings over the top of each salad.
Also in season:
Fruits:
Avocado, bananas, Blackberries, figs, grapes, guavas, kiwifruit, lychees, mangoes, honeydew melons, rock melons, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelon
Vegetables:
Beans, Borlotti beans, butter beans, capsicum, celery, chillies, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, radishes, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini
Herbs & Spices:
Basil, Chervil, Rocket, Tarragon, Young ginger,
Fish & Meat:
Calamari, Sardines, Veal
Clifton Kitchen - Cooking Through The Seasons 
I look forward each year to the fig season. Your salad is indeed beautiful.
It is a lovely salad, do try it when figs are in season in your area.
I am obsessed with figs! Gorgeous pics as well. I love when figs are $3 a punnet. Mmmmm. Hope you’re well x
Thanks for visiting and for your comment….yes I am well thanks Megan, I trust you are too.
Hi Kate, been a long time… hope you keeping well. Love your food blog. Mei
Hi Mei, Lovely to receive your visit and read your comment. I hope you will visit often. Kind thoughts Kate
I’ll try… on facebook more now. Callmepolarbear! 🙂
So lovely but will have to wait a while for our figs to be ready 😦
Too true, I hope you remember to try it. Enjoy your week-end.
This looks great! I had a similar salad from a Spanish restaurant. Instead of manchego cheese, it was served with a Spanish blue cheese. I love the mix of greens, cheese, and the sweetness of the figs.
Wonderful wonderful Kate I love figs in any form made a tart with cheese and bacon it was delicious and on their own sprinkled wiith parmasan and olive oil soooo delicious.
Yes deep snow here but looks as if it will clear in a few days.
I become a Septuagenarian next Tuesday so I want clear uncluttered roads so my family can get to the party! By the way ALL WELCOME
Suki x
I’m there!
love sheep cheese will hunt through the supermarket when the snow clears – but salad is not my favourite winter dish 😉
Enjoy the snow; we are experiencing a heat wave of note. Yesterday was 39∘ C