Oven-Dried Figs and Spinach Salad

Are you guys sick of figs yet?

Me neither.  I’m using my selective hearing on all of you who said otherwise.

Remember when I made my oven-dried tomato crustless quiche?  Well I figured that I could do the same with figs to get a more concentrated fig flavor, perfect for snacking…

…and even more delightful as a salad topping.

What’s most striking about these oven-dried figs compared to typical dried figs is that they keep their deep purple exterior and turn even deeper purple.  Which got me thinking — why do dried figs turn tan, anyway?

So why oven-dry your figs when you can just purchase dried figs?

1. Dried figs are pretty expensive.

2. Because you’re dehydrating these in the oven at a slightly higher temperature than an actual dehydrator, these figs aren’t quite as chewy and still have some sort of reminiscence of their juiciness.  In other words, they’re not dry as a desert.

Did I mention that I made a fig vinaigrette?

Well, I did and it turned this salad into a tart and sweet treat for lunch.

OVEN-DRIED FIGS AND SPINACH SALAD (serves 1)
with goat cheese and pecans 

3 figs, halved*
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Place figs on a baking sheet.  Bake figs for 2 hours.

Plate spinach and top with figs, goat cheese, pecan pieces.  Drizzle with 1-2 Tablespoons of fig vinaigrette

FIG VINAIGRETTE (serves 4-6)

2 Tablespoons fig jam**
3 Tablespoons  red wine vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons grape seed oil
pinch of salt

Whisk together ingredients.  If fig jam is chunky, place in a blender and blend until smooth.

*Three figs are all that you need for this recipe, but I recommend oven-drying double to triple what you need.  These figs are so tasty, you’ll want them later as a snack.

**I used my homemade fig jam to make the vinaigrette, but if you want to skip this step, I recommend Bon Maman Fig Preserves as a good substitute.

I adore fruit in my salad and if you do too, this one is a keeper.  So yummy and light!  For an added boost of protein, I finished this lunch off with some honey Greek yogurt.  You could also mix in some grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or maybe even some tofu.

***

The winner of the $250 Food Lion gift card is…

Angie Campbell
September 17, 2012 at 5:10 pm

I shared on Facebook!

Angie Campbell! Angie, please email me at kelly@foodiefresh.com so I can mail you your gift card.

Oven-Dried Figs and Spinach Salad
(Serves 1)
Ingredients
Salad:
3 figs, halved*
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons pecan pieces
Fig Vinaigrette (serves 4-6)
2 Tablespoons fig jam**
3 Tablespoons red wine vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons grape seed oil
pinch of salt
Directions
Salad:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place figs on a baking sheet. Bake figs for 2 hours.

Plate spinach and top with figs, goat cheese, pecan pieces. Drizzle with 1-2 Tablespoons of fig vinaigrette

Fig Vinaigrette:

Whisk together ingredients. If fig jam is chunky, place in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes:

I used my homemade fig jam to make the vinaigrette, but if you want to skip this step, I recommend Bon Maman Fig Preserves as a good substitute.