A combo of sweet and tart flavors and a variety of textures make this Fresh Fig Lettuce Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing a must-try when figs are in season.
I made this Fresh Fig Lettuce Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing twice in one week. Knowing that Ro-Taro (eldest son) will be home from graduate school for the extended Labor Day weekend, I saved the last 12 figs from the 2 pounds package I purchased earlier in the week so that I can make this salad for him. Thankfully, the figs were still okay even though they were a little soft. In fact, they were really sweet and perfect for this lovely salad.
In early July, a neighbor who lives a block from us gave away this raised planter table for free. I was in luck because I was looking for a raised planter for our patio and I got this one for free, thanks to the neighbor! Ro-Ri San, Ro-Jiro, and I happily lifted the table home. 🙂 Over that weekend, I filled the planter with soil and sowed the seeds for these gourmet blend lettuce. It was a good size planter and there was even enough room for a few herbs.
The lettuce took only 45 days to mature. What you see in the pictures below was the first harvest from this planter. That was before I found the figs. This salad was made using the fourth and final harvest of lettuce. Not bad at all for an investment of $2.00 for the seeds, in return for over a pound of super fresh organic lettuce and the satisfaction of growing your own food.
Finding fresh figs at this time made the decision to combine the figs and lettuce a no-brainer. I only had to figure out the kind of dressing to go with the salad. Since poppy seed dressing is a favorite at our house, I decided to make my own this time. I searched the internet for a recipe and found this one which calls for a shallot. Gave me a chance to use my homegrown shallots from the vegetable garden. I used two shallots for good measure. A total of four shallots for both times.
The second time, I reduced the sugar and extra virgin olive oil and increased the mayonnaise to make it creamier. I used veganaise (affiliate link). It turned out great and I think it went really well with the figs and lettuce.
Be sure to give the dressing a stir or a shake before drizzling it over your salad as it tends to separate when it sits. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days but the recipe makes only for one cup of dressing and it will be almost gone if you use it in this Fresh Fig Lettuce Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing.
Fresh Fig Lettuce Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pecan pieces (25g)
- 5 oz gourmet lettuce blend (triple wash and drained) (141g)
- 10 to 12 fresh figs (cut into quarters lengthwise)
- ¼ cup feta (30g)
Dressing
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar (60ml)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp veganaise or mayonnaise
- 2 small shallots
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (80ml)
Instructions
- Toast pecans in a small fry pan over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and allow pecans to cool.
- Place lettuce, figs, feta, and toasted pecans in a salad bowl.
- Combine white wine vinegar, sugar, ground mustard, salt, poppy seeds, vegenaise (or mayonnaise) in a cup or bowl.
- Grate shallots with a microplane into the cup or bowl.
- Mix all ingredients with a wire whisk.
- Pour in extra virgin olive oil. Continue to whisk until combined.
- Drizzle creamy basil avocado dressing over the top. Toss salad to coat.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
I have made this Fresh Fig Lettuce Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing twice and now, it is your turn. Don’t tarry! Go find some fresh figs and make this deliciously fruity salad before figs go out of season. We loved it and I think you will to. Also, do check back in two to three days for the Seafood Paella I paired this salad with. You don’t want to miss that dish. It’s fabulous!
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
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