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August 13, 2006

Sexy Fig Salad

I made a variation of Jamie Oliver's "The Easiest, Sexiest Salad in the World" a few nights ago as a starter for dinner. It's pretty easy, and I don't know if it's precisely sexy, but Mr. Spaceling is still talking about it days later.

Here's my version, which makes enough for 2. It can easily be scaled up.

Ingredients

• ~1.5 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• a tiny dollop (perhaps a scant 1/4 teaspoon?) honey

• 2 fresh medium to large black mission figs
• 2 slices prosciutto
• 2 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
• 6-8 large fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
• black pepper to taste

The Steps

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, and set aside.
2. Cut the stem off of each fig, and then cut the fig crosswise as if you were going to quarter it, but don't cut all the way down to the base. Open out the fig into a sort of flower shape, and place one fig in the center of each of two salad plates.
3. Arrange a slice of prosciutto around each fig.
4. Cut the mozzarella into tiny dice, and scatter them around the figs.
5. With a spoon, drizzle the dressing over the fig, prosciutto, and mozzarella, being sure to get some in the center of each fig.
6. Scatter the chiffonaded basil over everything. Add a bit of freshly ground black pepper.

Using a really good fresh mozzarella pays off in this recipe. Quite by accident, I picked up one that was quite a bit better than some that I've had recently. It comes packed in water in a little tub. I can't find any brand name on it, except Mollie Stone's, the name of the grocery store I bought it from. Is it possible for a grocery store to have a house brand of fresh mozzarella? Weird.

Posted by spaceling at August 13, 2006 09:35 AM

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