This beet fig salad is topped with walnuts and a spicy garlic dressing. Make it fast before figs are gone for the summer!
There is this cute lake town in France near the Swiss border called Annecy. In less than a year, I’ve been there twice and it already holds a special place in my heart. Why you ask? Let me tell (and show) you.
My mom used to travel once a year with the same group of women. Each year, they chose a different town in France to travel to, yet the activities remained the same: ate delicious French food, drank amazing French wine and champagne, shopped, and saw the sites. I usually got a souvenir when she came home, so I was happy. The same group has continued this tradition since she passed and this time last year, I was invited to join for the 20th anniversary trip. Seeing as it is only a hop, skip, and jump away from Zurich, I couldn’t pass it up. I joined the fun for a few days and was able to experience what the trip was all about; girlfriends spending quality time together in a new and exciting place. I learned about all of their past trips, the funny anecdotes, who was responsible for what, etc. I loved hearing the memories first hand, taking part in new memories, and imagining my mom having the time of her life with these ladies.
This year, one of my best friends from home decided to make her way to Europe for her summer vacation. She explored Switzerland and ended her trip in Annecy where I met her for a few days. We ate delicious French food, drank French rosé (all day), shopped, and explored the quaint town. This mini-trip confirmed that I’m going to follow in my mom’s footsteps. Annual girl vacations are a must…even if we can’t make it all the way to France.
Annecy’s cobble stone streets are lined with restaurants and shops. And just a few steps away is the gorgeous lake. On Tuesday morning, there was the cutest farmer’s market that lined almost all of the main streets. We’d had our fair share of splurge meals already…
…so it was time to make a nice salad at home to compensate for our three-coursed meals. I learned how French Women Don’t Get Fat, remember? We shopped the market for inspiration and the first thing we bought were the beautiful figs. Shortly thereafter, we found freshly roasted beets and we knew exactly what we were making.
This salad is simple for anyone to make, yet oh so flavorful. If you happen to have leftover duck on hand (which the French may reluctantly wrap up for you in an oh-so-American-doggy-bag if you smile real big), throw it on top. It will taste great.
It’s literally as simple as throwing the dressing ingredients in a jar.
Arranging the salad like a delicate masterpiece.
And sharing with a girlfriend, of course!
- 4 medium pre-roasted beets, chopped in bite-size pieces*
- 1 cup // 25 grams arugula
- 2 cups // 40 grams mixed greens
- ½ cup // 50 grams chopped walnuts
- 5 figs, sliced
- ¼ cup // 15 grams fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup // 60 mL extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup // 60 mL apple cider vinegar
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ cup // 50 grams chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a jar. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before using.
- Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, arranging them to show off the beautiful beets and figs! Dress the salad immediately before serving.
- If you buy fresh beets, roast each bulb in wrapped foil at 390F // 200C for 60-90 minutes, or until you can easily stick a knife through.
- Serves 3-4 meal-sized salads.
10 Responses
Beautiful! I love beets and figs and never would have thought of putting them together in a salad! Thank you. I can’t wait to make this salad. Also — Jerusalem ,Plenty,and Ottolenghi are my favorite cookbooks. They make me want to cook,eat and travel! Kind of your life right now. Hugs to you.
Aren’t they the best cookbooks?! I just made his mejrada this week and it was so flavorful. I can’t wait to keep working through the book 🙂
Not big on the figs…….but as always the storyteller in you makes it worth the read! Love You, Dad xoxo
Now I want to go to Annecy! What a cute, quaint little town! And I love your moms tradition of going to France with her friends, and that they still go. I love that. This salad looks delicious! Perfect for the end of summer.
Thanks Natalie! Yes, a pretty awesome tradition that I hope to do too!
What a great way to share some of your mom’s old memories with her friends and to remember her and the tradition they did each year in France. It looks like such a beautiful spot and I definitely want to go there one day. PS – that salad looks so delicious.
xoDale
Thanks Dale! I definitely recommend visiting!
What a great trip! It sounds like a wonderful tradition. This salad is picture perfect and sounds so delicious!
As one of the members of your mom’s travel group, I can tell you that it is a great tradition and one that we look forward to every year! It was so fun to have you join us last year. You fit right in with the “old” ladies! Speaking of the ladies, I am having them over for a luncheon this month and always struggle with what to prepare (they are all awesome cooks and hostesses). I thought this salad would be perfect and then remembered that two of them don’t like beets (I know, hard to imagine). Any suggestions for a substitute?
oh how fun! too bad they don’t like beets. Not sure how fancy you want to go, but it could be fun to make a homemade french onion soup and a big salad? or some mushroom risotto? Or the pumpkin soup i just posted is really tasty and easy, but not particularly french 🙂