Fresh Fig Salad with Fried Olives
This Fresh Fig Salad features a lightly dressed tangle of arugula served on a bed of honey whipped ricotta and studded with figs, orange segments, and fried garlic-stuffed olives.
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Food Processor
Ingredients
Honey Whipped Ricotta
- 350g (12oz) full-fat ricotta
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
Orange Vinaigrette
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
Fried Green Olives
- 12 garlic-stuffed green olives
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup neutral oil for frying
For the Salad
- 142g (5oz) arugula
- 5-6 figs cut into wedges
- 2 navel oranges segmented
- Manchego cheese shaved, for sprinkling
Instructions
For the Whipped Ricotta
- Place the ricotta, salt, and honey in a large food processor. Turn on the food processor and slowly stream in the olive oil. Blitz until smooth. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and set it aside. **350g (12oz) full-fat ricotta, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp salt, ¼ cup olive oil
For the Vinaigrette
- Place all of the ingredients in a small jar and seal. Shake the jar to mix and set it aside. ***1 clove garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt
For the Fried Olives
- Pour the flour, panko bread crumbs, and eggs into separate bowls. Working with one olive at a time, dip the olives in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the panko breadcrumbs. Transfer the breaded olives to a plate and set them aside.12 garlic-stuffed green olives, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs
- Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat until shimmering. Add half of the olives to the oil and fry until golden, rotating and flipping the olives frequently so they brown evenly. Transfer the fried olives to a plate lined with a paper towel and set them aside to drain. Repeat with the remaining olives.¼ cup neutral oil
For the Salad
- Place the arugula in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top. Toss to coat.142g (5oz) arugula
- Spread a little of the Honey Whipped Ricotta into the base of each bowl. Top the ricotta with a pile of the dressed arugula. Top each pile of arugula with the figs sliced, oranges segments, and 3 fried olives. Sprinkle the salads with manchego cheese and serve immediately.5-6 figs, 2 navel oranges, Manchego cheese
Notes
** You can make the whipped ricotta ahead of time and keep it stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Take it out of the fridge 15-30 minutes prior to serving.
*** After segmenting the oranges, take the leftover innards and squeeze them over the dressing jar to extract the juice. If you'd rather not segment your oranges, use orange juice from a carton instead.