Fresh Fig And Feta Salad With Toasted Walnuts

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 24 -30 fresh black figs, medium to large
• 6 -9 ounces feta cheese or 6 -9 ounces chevre cheese, goat's cheese
• 9 ounces walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• salt
• black pepper
• fresh fig leaf (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 toasted walnuts:.
• 2 in a large, heavy frying pan, over a high heat, toast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. remove and set aside to cool.
• 3 vinaigrette:.
• 4 put the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a screw-top jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. add the mustard and walnut oil, then shake again to emulsify – the emulsion will hold for ten minutes or so, but give it another jiggle just before you use it to dress the salad.
• 5 salad:.
• 6 wipe the fresh figs gently, and cut them in half. arrange them on a large platter, or on individual plates - allowing 4 to 5 fresh figs per person, depending on the size.
• 7 sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 ozs of crumbled feta or goat's cheese per person, over the top of the fresh figs.
• 8 scatter the chopped,toasted walnuts over the fig salad.
• 9 just before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, and garnish each plate with 1 - 2 fresh fig leaves if available.
• 10 serve with crusty bread and butter.
• 11 can also be served as a dessert/cheese course combined.