Grilled Fig & Fennel Salad with Goat's Cheese & Roasted Almonds

By á-40222

Modern Australian, lactose free vegetarian
This salad is a favourite of mine, I love to serve it with Lamb

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 2 bulbs fennel
• 6 ripe figs halved
• 1 pomegranate
• 200 g crumbly goat's cheese
• 50 g shaved parmesan
• 50 g blanched almond or pine nuts
• 200 g rocket and watercress or a combination of mixed peppery leaves
• 15-20 leaves of mint or basil or a combo of both
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 3 tbsp basalmic vinegar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 45mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat a griddle pan, slice fennel in half through the root, remove the tough outer layer of the bulb, trim up the heart but leave it intact so it holds the bulb together

Slice each half into six thin slices, cutting through the heart each time so that the small fan shape is held together at the bottom (a mandolin cutter is excellent here)

Place the fennel slices and the fig halves in a bowl add a splash of olive oil and season to taste, when griddle is hot grill the fennel slices and then the figs for 2 mins each side

Zest the lemon and then make the dressing. While the figs and fennel are still hot place them in the dressing.
Remove seeds from the pomegranate (there is a great easy way to do this, google seeding a pomegranate)

Crumble the goat's cheese and shave the parmesan.
Dry roast the almonds until golden brown.

Wash and dry the salad leaves and roughly chop the mint and basil.
Mix the salad with goat's cheese, the fennel, figs and scatter the pomegranate seeds and roasted almonds over the top finish with shaved parmesan