Summer Fig and Cucumber Salad

Peak summer figs are upon us. They should be jammy and plump and taste like strawberry jam or raspberry or even tropical like the green panache fig I had last week. They can be purple, green, brown, or striped. My most prized ways to eat them are simply on their own, with a slice of cheese, roasted to bring out deep notes of honey, as a complementary side to pork, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and flaky sea salt.

It is late summer and the farmers markets in California are still bursting with exceptional produce. This recipe is an ode to that and would be delightful served alongside a grilled piece of a fish, a simple marinated pork loin, on its own with a crusty piece of bread (and some soft gooey cheese perhaps?)

This recipe is simple and forgiving. The secret is to seek out the best ingredients possible and all will be well (and fantastically flavorful.)

Summer Fig and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

4-6 figs , sliced in half or quartered

3 heirloom cucumbers, sliced on mandolin, see notes

1 melon seeded and sliced, see notes

1 bunch basil and mint, torn or whole

2 tablespoons vinegar (rice wine or champagne)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Zest from 1 lemon  

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Make the dressing: Combine the rice wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, and kosher salt.

2. Assemble the salad on the plate. 

3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and season with flaky salt. 

Notes 

This salad is all about the ingredients. Find the best produce you can. I like to use a mix of cucumber varieties for this such as Persian, Italian and Lemon. 

For the melon, I used a green melon variety called Arava, but any ripe summer melon would be delicious here. 

Fig Varieties (found at the Santa Monica Farmers market)

Mission

Panache

Tiger Stripe

Brown Turkey

Kadota

Violette de Bordeaux

Wine Pairing

Scribe 2023 Estate Riesling

Nectarine, Cactus Flower, Sea Salt

This wine is alive and humming with vibrant acidity and deeply perfumed in the uniquely delicate way only Riesling can be. | Purchase Here