Fig worship.
I love figs, though I didn’t always. Like a lot of people, my main fig experience as a child was Fig Newtons. Now, there is nothing wrong with Fig Newtons, but they do not exactly inspire one to go out and try fresh figs. I don’t know anyone who bit into a Fig Newton and was so struck by the flavor of the filling that they went fig-crazy; much more likely was that the person ate Fig Newtons because they were out of Oreos.
Now, I look forward to the brief times of the year when I can get beautiful fresh figs. Around here, I mostly see Black Mission figs and Calmyrna figs. Of the two, I prefer the green Calmyrnas: I like their softly burred exteriors and pretty amber-colored insides; I like their honeylike scent and the way they sit at the bottom of my cupped palm. I am fond of foods that seem to have secrets, and figs are the most secretive fruit I know.
Fig Salad with Chevre and Pine Nuts
This salad tastes a bit of balsamic vinegar at first, and then the chevre/pine nut flavor comes through, and it finishes off with the fig taste. If you use too much vinegar, that’s all you’ll taste, so be careful!
Recipe makes enough for two people as a side dish.
- 6 ripe Calmyrna figs
- handful of pine nuts
- 1-2 oz. chevre (goat cheese)
- balsamic vinegar
- extra-virgin olive oil (preferably a fruity one, not a peppery one)
Toast pine nuts, and let cool.
Peel the figs, and cut each fig into 10-or-so pieces. The pieces should be a bit smaller than bite-size. Put the fig pieces into a bowl.
Crumble chevre over figs, and add the cooled pine nuts.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, just enough to coat the ingredients, and toss gently.