I have a fig tree in my backyard. No big deal. That's half humble brag, half unawareness, since I didn't know it existed until my friend admitted to stealing some while on a walk around the neighborhood. Well, I knew it existed, but I always forget the window of fig-opportunities is slim so I may or may not have ran to said tree after speaking with her. The fruit hangs particularly low during the hottest weeks of summer (looking at you, September) and you can see how squishy and ripe they’re getting from the afternoon sun. Insider tip: The more delicate and squishy they are, the sweeter they’ll be.
There's always this sense of urgency when it comes to eating figs like: This is it. Snooze or lose...until next year. For this reason (plus the heat), I crafted a salad because it was too damn hot for an oven situation. I wanted to play up the sweetness of the figs with leafy greens like arugula and kale. Unexpectedly wonderful, the peppery taste of the arugula coupled with the bitter kick of the kale paired very nicely with triangle slices of manchego cheese for a buttery accent.
This salad makes for a great side, and it’s easy to throw this together in minutes. I’d recommend massaging the kale in olive oil first. Get in there, and actually massage those leaves with your hands. And then set aside while you work on everything else.
Kale & Arugula Salad With Figs & Manchego
INGREDIENTS
For the lemon vinaigrette
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs champagne vinegar
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
For the salad
8 figs, quartered
2 cups of arugula
2 cups of curly kale
10 triangle slices
Homemade croutons
Black pepper and kosher salt for taste
In a large bowl, mix the kale and the arugula. Drizzle leafy mixture with a couple tablespoons of the dressing, and turn with fingers to coat. Next, layer on the figs, manchego slices, and croutons. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.