Recipe: Fig Frenzy: Fresh Fig and Rocket Salad a la Sylvia
Now if this is not mouth watering, I really don’t know what is.
Have I mentioned how much I love figs? They are just so magnificent – They look like strange little pods from the outside, but when you open them up they are so lucious and delicate and gorgeous! They take my breath away! I love figs so much that to look at them in person makes my heart leap, my mouth water and my eyes to fill with tears…well at least that is what they did when I saw Sylvia’s Rocket Salad with Grilled Figs and Goat Cheese
a few weeks back. That was when I was beginning to despair about ever finding fresh figs again! Since we moved to Florida, it has been like acclimating to everything – the weather, the culture, the driving, and the availability of well-loved ingredients! I took for granted in the past the easy availability of certain favorite ingredients living in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast where there was always a plethora of ethnic markets, including Mediterranean. But having moved to Florida, I have had trouble finding things like, hazelnuts, pomegranate syrup and FRESH FIGS! So I began to loose hope of having fresh figs again and when fig season began and I saw recipes like the one on Sylvia’s blog I began to feel a little crushed and a deep longing for figs, glorious figs. My luck was about to change.
One day at the grocery store recently while I was perusing the tropical fruit aisle (one of the great things about moving to Florida – there is a tropical fruit aisle!) something I often do so I can try new and exotic fruits, I saw a little place card for fresh Turkish Figs and my broken heart began to mend! My beloved figs were there! Yes, they were $8 for about 10 of them, which I knew was ridiculous but at this point I was ready to throw caution to the wind, they were there and I wanted them! Once I brought them home I knew I needed to eat them fast – as they rot quickly! So I had two recipes in mind – Sylvia’s salad and Fresh Fig and Sage Grilled Pizza. Here is Sylvia’s Recipe as she posted it!
It is heavenly!
Stay tuned for the Pizza recipe!
Rocket Salad with grilled figs and goat cheese
4 mature figs
1 bunch of rocket lettuce
20 gr pine nuts
40 gr fresh goat cheese
Balsamic Aceto
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
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Toni - July 17, 2007 at 1:38 am
I adore fresh figs. There’s a house in the neighborhood with a fig tree, and I used to walk by there every year, carrying plastic grocery bags to fill with the fruit. A huge branch of this tree hung over the sidewalk, and there was always enough on that branch for the birds and me. Then the house was sold, and the new owners cut the tree back, so that now it is out of reach to pedestrians. So now I must rely on the markets for my figs. Lucky you that you found Turkish figs! This photo is drop-dead gorgeous! I never thought of grilling figs – silly me!! Thanks for this recipe.
Peter - July 17, 2007 at 4:22 am
A sultry salad Jenn! I’m so tempted to do some fig dishes but I’m not happy with the imported figs here. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve eaten figs in the Mediterranean.
Also, please expand for us your grilling method of the figs, please?
Katiez - July 17, 2007 at 4:44 am
Wish you were here! We have 3 big fig trees – very productive. And I don’t really like them – I find them too sweet! (I’m kind of a tart person).
Maybe I should give them another try… I’ll pick one this morning… Sorry, that was mean LOL
Sylvia - July 17, 2007 at 9:00 am
That surprise! Thanks for the mention. I was very happy when seeing that you made my recipe and you also liked. Here, the figs are expensive too. When I moved to this country, I also thought that there was not anything But later we begins to know the right places, with the right markets
It‘s just a matter of time and adaptation
Figs Olives Wine - July 17, 2007 at 10:27 am
I just bought fresh figs this morning! I feel so guilty b/c they’re really not in season up here yet, but they are one of my absolute favorites, and I just couldn’t hold out any longer. That’s a lovely salad – can’t wait for the pizza too.
Jeff - July 17, 2007 at 1:08 pm
I’d contemplate a stronger cheese…like blue!
Patricia Scarpin - July 17, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Jenn, I love figs and rocket is my favorite green – this salad is wonderful!
The Leftover Queen - July 17, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Well, it looks like Sylvia’s salad is a big hit!
Toni, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I love your story, especially the part about sharing with the birds, but I am sorry you lost your access to those beautiful figs!
Peter! Aren’t figs just beautiful? I actually ended up pan grilling mine, so that I could incorporate the juice that came out of them with the balsamic to make the dressing!
KatieZ! Just try the salad! You have enough figs that if you don’t like it, it’s not as though you wasted many in comaprison to what you have!
Sylvia! The lady of the hour! So glad you stopped by to see this! I adore this salad! I agree it takes time to adapt to a different place. Where were you before Buenos Aires?
Hi Amanda! Well I guess I am not surprised that figs are one of your favorites – due to teh name of your blog! I have a fig as the picture on my business cards! I just love them!
Hi Jeff! Actually the goat cheese was great – the creaminess of the cheese was great with the fig. However, blue cheese is great with figs as you will see – stay tuned for the pizza recipe!
Patricia! That is exactly how I felt – I am in love with every single ingredient in this salad that for me it HAD to be a winner!
Holler - July 17, 2007 at 6:09 pm
That sounds great! I like the thought of the taste combination! I am ashamed to say, I have never tasted fresh figs, but not for the lack of wanting to!
Margarita Valli - July 17, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Well call me “fig-less”. I have never had a fresh fig, nor have I ever seen them in the market. When I was in Greece I did see fig trees, but, it was Spring so strawberries were in season. If I ever see a fig your salad looks excellent!!
Cynthia - July 17, 2007 at 10:28 pm
You’re right Jenn, this is mouth watering and bathed in the sunlight – Irresistible!
canarygirl - July 18, 2007 at 8:37 am
Oooh, figs are in season here too! Sheesh the prices sure are different here though! :O Beautiful photo, Jenn! 🙂 ps….I’ve nominated you for a rockin’ girl blogger award on my blog! 🙂
The Leftover Queen - July 18, 2007 at 8:43 am
Hey Holler! Well if you ever get the chance to taste a fresh fig I hihgly recommend it. Sometimes canned figs are tasty too – if they are the green ones. But the dried ones work great in many recipes that call for fresh – just reconstitute and you have close to the real thing!
Hey Valli! Stawberry season in Greece sounds delightful! But if you do get your hands on some, eat them up and QUICK!
Hey Cynthia!Didn’t that shot turn out great! I am so pleased with Roberto’s hand at the camera!
Hey Nikki! I am sure the prices are better in the Canaries…Thanks so much for nominating me! I am overwhelemed! Thanks for the beautiful things you said about me too. You are such a sweetie!
Annie Elizabeth - July 18, 2007 at 11:31 am
Oh , going to try Rocket Salad with grilled figs and goat cheese.
The Leftover Queen - July 18, 2007 at 3:24 pm
great Annie! Let me know what you think!
Erin - June 25, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Hi Queen,
The fig salad looks delicious! I’m not sure if I can find fresh figs here, but I’ll look…the farmers market isn’t exactly in its harvesting season since there’s been so much wet here. I especially would love a fig as a dessert, maybe with some honey, balsamic and ricotta. Your fig post has inspired me–and I’ve never bought a fig!
Thanks for adding my site to the Foodie Blogroll, and for your input about sparklers. It’s plenty humid here in MN, so I’m making iced herbal tea, too. I love iced herbal tea–any chance you’d feature a recipe for it? I’ve mostly made mine from store-bought blends, but would love some ideas for something homemade. I suppose the trick is in drying fruit and making a blend of herbs/hips/etc.
Candy - August 22, 2010 at 10:45 am
Fig trees grow well i just about every part of Florida. If you do not have much yard you ca grow them in a pot. For the best varieties for your area just talk to the agricultural extension agents for your county.