Famous Pairs – Arugula and Fig Salad

There are lots of famous pairs: Ella and Louis, Abbott and Costello, Fred and Ginger, Simon and Garfunkel. There are also famous pairs in the garden and kitchen, which I find often grow well together and mature or ripen at the same time. Think tomato and basil, butternut squash and sage, peas and mint, cucumber and dill. My recent favorite is arugula and fig.

The spicy bite of arugula is beautifully matched by the sweetness of fresh fig. For example, they go great together on a grilled cheese sandwich or topping a pizza. In my garden, I harvest my best arugula in late summer and early fall, as the figs ripen on the tree. And when they are paired in a salad with a fig-laced dressing, creamy burrata cheese, and toasted pine nuts, I’m in heaven. It is the perfect way to open a fancy meal; simple to prepare, but elegant in presentation and flavor.

Arugula and Fig Salad with Burrata and Toasted Pine Nuts

This salad is best in the late summer and early fall with arugula, fresh from the garden, and figs picked ripe from the tree. It would also be delicious with a few salty strips of prosciutto (crisped or not), and it would be lovely with sliced cherry tomatoes, with or without the fresh figs.

2 servings, about 15 minutes

1 – 4 oz. piece of burrata cheese

2 Tbsp. pine nuts

⅓ cup good olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1½ Tbsp. fig jam or preserves

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

4 cups fresh arugula

3 fresh, ripe figs

1. Remove the burrata from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature in its liquid.
2. Toast the pine nuts to golden brown in a dry pan over low heat or on a sheet pan in the oven or toaster oven. Watch them closely and stir often so they do not burn.
3. Make the dressing by whisking together in a bowl until combined the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, fig jam or preserves, salt, and pepper. Taste and correct seasonings.
4. Toss the arugula with the dressing, using only enough dressing to lightly coat the greens.
5. Arrange the dressed arugula on a plate.
6. Cut the figs in wedges and arrange them on the greens.
7. Remove the burrata from its liquid and pat dry with a paper towel and place it on the arugula. Sprinkle on the toasted pine nuts.

Please like and share this post: