My Early Spring Garden – Arugula, Fig Jam, and Burrata on Grilled Garlic Toasts

I can only imagine what it would have been like for my ancestors – both the caveman types thousands of years ago, wherever they were, and those just over a century or so before, in little villages somewhere in what is now Ukraine. After a long, cold, dark winter to see the first edible green vegetation emerge from the soil in early spring, they must have been elated and relieved. They made it through another long, hard winter, and fresh, green vegetables were coming soon, either to be gathered, harvested, or purchased at the local market. A relief not just for better cooking, but for survival. (I am sure freshly harvested vegetables are important in present day Ukraine, as well.)

In my garden last week I harvested the first cool weather crops of the year, albeit in miniscule quantities, at least initially. Leaf lettuces and spinach. Radishes and arugula. Kale, scallions, and asparagus (although my asparagus bed does not look so healthy this year). The vegetables are young and fresh and small in size, but filled with character and flavor. They are what I’ve waited for all winter, and they remind me why I put forth so much effort in my garden. Unfortunately, many gardeners miss these early crops, concentrating instead on those like tomatoes that thrive in the heat of the summer.

This early in the season there is never enough to pick to make a full dish. So I have to improvise a recipe either with lots of ingredients, all needed in only small amounts, or small dishes – appetizers – for which a tiny harvest will suffice. This week, I decided on the latter.

I thought about the little pile of peppery arugula I picked and knew it would get lost if hidden among lots of ingredients, and so I repurposed an old recipe – Arugula and Fig Salad. Lacking enough greens for a full salad, I would pile them on crispy garlic toasts. Fresh figs – never available in early spring – would be replaced by fig jam. Of course I saw no reason to replace the ball of chewy, creamy burrata.

It was delicious, the sweetness of the jam complementing the slight spiciness of the arugula, the crunch of garlicky grilled bread against the soft bite of burrata. The flavor was fresh and vibrant, needing nothing else other than a sprinkle of salt and fresh pepper, not even dressing. It was a perfect appetizer to be served anytime of the year, but it was especially satisfying as the first vegetables of spring emerge from the ground.

Arugula, Fig Jam, and Burrata on Grilled Garlic Toasts

There’s not really much of a recipe here, other than making the garlic toasts. And even that can be replaced with simple, toasted bread if you would like. Simply smear the toast with fig jam – as much or little as you want. Put a healthy handful of fresh arugula on top, capped by a half a ball of burrata and some salt and pepper, then enjoy.  (Burrata comes in balls of different sizes. Pick the size you like, depending on the size of your toasts.)

10 minutes, makes 4 to serve as an appetizer

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

4 pieces rustic Italian bread cut in ½ inch thick slices

6 Tbsp. fig jam, more or less to taste

2 cups fresh arugula, more or less to taste

2 balls burrata, room temperature, carefully sliced in half

½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1. Prepare the grill for high heat, whether using a gas or charcoal grill. Press the garlic into a small bowl using a garlic press. Add the olive oil and ½ tsp. of salt. Stir to combine. Place the bread on the hot grill and immediately spoon or brush the olive oil-garlic mixture on the exposed surface, about a tablespoon on each slice. This will allow the garlic to cook over indirect heat. Checking frequently, allow the bread to grill until the bottom is slightly charred in spots. If the grill is really hot, this may only take a minute or two. Move the bread around on the grill as needed so it does not burn. When slightly charred, flip the bread. Again, checking frequently, grill the bread until it is lightly charred in spots, the garlic is starting to cook, and the olive oil is bubbly. The garlic should be slightly cooked to remove its bite, but don’t brown it too much, as browned garlic can taste bitter. Remove the bread from the grill and place it on a plate, garlic side up.
2. Smear a tablespoon and a half of fig jam on each garlic toast. Top each toast with about a half cup of arugula and half a ball of burrata. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt. Serve at room temperature.

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