Oven-Dried Figs and Spinach Salad

September 19, 2012

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.