Delicious Fig, Feta and Walnut Salad Recipe

“No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” ~ Epictetus

My farmer friends, Rob and Robby, have a wonderful commercial stone fruit orchard and a couple of handsome old fig trees. In the fig season we often trade produce, and I have the pleasure of coming up with ways to use all of those luscious fruits.

This is a super salad, and satisfying enough to be eaten on its own, although it makes an interesting side dish too.

The combination of the sweet fleshy figs with the crisp lettuce, slightly salty cheese, tangy dressing and those little walnut chunks is, well… 😀

Why not make it and find out? Did I mention this salad is also easy to assemble!

This will serve two to three hungry adults as a main meal, or give four to six side servings. Recipe is easily adapted to smaller or larger serves.

Ingredients:

1 cos lettuce, 2 ribs of celery, 2 green shallots (scallions/spring onions), 1 small apple, 4 to 6 ripe figs, 1/2 cup of walnuts, a few thick slices of good feta cheese.

Dressing:

1 heaped tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk, 1 small teaspoon of mustard powder, salt and pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of vinegar (I used coconut vinegar and it was sublime!)

Method:

Take a wide, flattish salad bowl or platter.

Wash and dry your lettuce leaves. Rip the lettuce into bite size chunks putting them straight into the salad bowl. Then slice the celery, apple and shallots into small pieces. Toss with the lettuce.

Slice the figs into wedges and place them on top of the greens. Then scatter the walnuts and feta (cut into small cubes) over the figs.

Dressing:

Place condensed milk, mustard, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and stir until well combined. Adjust to your taste. Thin if necessary by adding a little water or milk.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.