Arugula Salad with Fig, Melon, and Gorgonzola

Inspiration for a new dish can come from many different sources. This salad had two influences. The first was an abundance of figs coming from the tree in my back yard – you can only make so much fig jam. The other flash of inspiration came from an article in an airplane magazine I was reading on my way to my daughter’s wedding in Utah. The result was a salad that my guests raved about and I had to make again the same week we enjoyed it so much. This unbelievable salad tantalizes all 5 senses – sweet melon and fig, sour balsamic, bitter arugula, salt, and savory gorgonzola. While you can substitute any ripe melon for the cantaloupe, I would not switch out any other ingredient in this salad.

Makes 4 serving

4 oz Fresh Figs

2 oz Arugula

1 C Cantaloupe

1 sprig Basil

2 oz Gorgonzola Cheese

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

1 TBS Aged Balsamic

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Trim the stems off of the figs (~1C) then cut them in quarters. Using the small end of a melon baller, scoop out 1 cup of ripe cantaloupe (~1/4 of a melon). Roll up the leaves of the basil into a tight roll and cut diagonally to create thin strips (chiffonade).

Place the washed arugula in the bottom of a salad bowl; add the melon balls, the fig, and the basil chiffonade. Crumble or cut the gorgonzola on to the top of the salad then top with1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon each of aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.   For the best presentation, do not toss this salad until you are actually serving it.

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