Grilled Fig Salad
These warm grilled figs are the perfect complement for summer salad greens.
Ingredients:
8 cups salad greens, such as this week’s Little Gem Romaine lettuce
4 figs
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Snip the tiny stem end off each fig and cut in half lengthwise. Mix vinegar, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Add figs and gently toss to coat. Let marinate while you preheat a grill (indoor or outdoor).
2. If necessary, coat your grill with a little olive oil. When ready, grill the figs, reserving all of the marinade in the bowl, for about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until grill marks appear. Do not overcook as the figs will become too mushy. Remove figs to a plate.
3. To the reserved marinade, add olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper, whisking well to completely incorporate.
4. Place greens in a large salad bowl. Toss with dressing, then divide among 4 individual serving plates. Place 2 fig halves on each plate of greens and serve.
Fig & Blue Cheese Galette
Topped with sweet onions and peppery arugula, this savory starter is wonderful sliced in wedges and served with crisp wine.
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder galette dough, chilled
6-8 figs, washed and halved or quartered
¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed arugula
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap chilled dough and place on a well floured surface. Let sit until edges become soft enough to roll.
2. Roll out dough into 3/4″ inch thick slab on a floured surface and transfer to baking sheet. Brush dough lightly with olive oil, reserving ½ tablespoon, and season surface with salt and pepper.
3. Leaving a 1 inch border around the circumference, dot the interior with fig halves and blue cheese crumbles, then scatter onion slices over. Roll border edges over to create a rustic crust, then brush with remaining olive oil.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle arugula leaves over. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
Glories of Springtime Recipes
Lemons to figs, succulent artichokes to hearty Bietole chard, this week’s box captures both the flavors of spring in the Northwest, and of Italy. Complemented by a rustic casarecce pasta, olive oil-rubbed Grana cheese and sweet organic Italian sausage from Skagit River Ranch, as well as an expressive Italian wine, the farm-fresh menu savors the delicate yet bold nuances of this beautiful season.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Artichokes with Parsley & Lemon Pesto
Tossed with a fragrant spring pesto, this side dish pairs wonderfully with this week’s pasta main.
Grilled Artichokes
Cracked pepper and a subtle lemon flavor perfectly accent these beautiful grilled artichokes.
Grilled Fig Salad
Accented by warm figs, this salad is a perfect use for this week’s plethora of spring greens!
Sautéed Pea Vines with Garlic
This incredibly simple recipe from Bon Appetit boasts just the right amount of spice, courtesy of red pepper flakes and garlic.