Fig, Proscuitto & Kalamatas Over Butter Lettuce

This is a very sexy salad.

NOW is the time to be buying figs.  They have a very short season, hitting their harvesting stride late summer, early autumn.  Once ripened, you’ll see them on grocery shelves and at local markets with a vengeance, then disappear as quickly as they came.  My advice is to pick up a container or two immediately.  They don’t last long at home either so don’t save them, just dig in, slicing into sections and enjoying with every meal of the day!

If you’ve never had a fresh fig, the inside is jammy and sweet.  My favorite are the  Kadota figs because they are consistently juicy and fragrant.  Try all three varieties (Mission, Turkish and Kadota), see which you like the best.

Foodie Note: Buy a small serving of dark purple kalamata olives off the olive bar at a nicer grocery store.  Get the ones with the pit still inside.  I think those have the best flavor: salty, earthy and deep.

Serves One:

5 leaves Butter lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
3 leaves fresh basil, julienned
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt/pepper
3 fresh figs, sliced lengthwise
2 slices proscuitto, sliced lengthwise
4 kalamata olives, not pitted

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, basil, balsamic, olive oil and a pinch of salt/pepper; toss to coat in dressing.  Arrange on a plate.  Drape pieces of proscuitto, add fig slices and whole olives.  Finish with a few cracks of pepper and serve.

Have a surplus of figs?  Cook them down into a compote with dried plums; serve alongside cheese or mix into yogurt or gelato.  Use 3 cups of ripe fruit with port and brown sugar.