TOMATO, FRESH FIG AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Tomato, Fresh Fig and Blue Cheese Salad image

Whether you get them from your backyard garden or the local farmers' market, tomatoes are one of summer's sweetest staples. In the kitchen, one of the best things a cook can do with a surfeit of ripe summer tomatoes is not to cook them. With such tasty beauties available (and given the tomato-pleasing heat), salads make more sense. Start simply by slicing big tomatoes into rounds and cutting smaller ones into wedges and the cherry and grape varieties in half. Very gently toss them with fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and good salt. Use whatever you've got to hand to dress up the pile. Here, we've used some crumbled blue cheese for tang, fresh figs for sweetness and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts for crunch.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories easy, quick, salads and dressings, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Previous Next

Ingredients

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces, thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh figs, cut into quarters
1 ounce crumbled blue cheese, like Fourme d'Ambert, more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Black pepper

Steps:

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and salt. Whisk in oil.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes.
Spread tomato slices on a large plate. Scatter fig quarters and pine nuts over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and thyme, drizzle with dressing and finish with pepper.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 237, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 230 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams