Fig and Cherry Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Fresh figs and cherries are showing up in the markets and now is the time to take advantage of their brief presence in New England. This fig and cherry salad with sherry vinaigrette is light and full of sweet flavor. The boldness of the sherry vinegar perfectly complements the sweet figs and the cherries.

There’s a crispness to fresh cherries that balances the softer texture of figs.

This recipe makes four servings.

Tips

Crumbled goat cheese is very good in this salad.
Try adding toasted walnuts or these sweet and salty walnuts.
I especially like Little Leaf Farm baby crispy green leaf in this salad, but any good baby lettuce blend or bibb lettuce will work.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for the vinaigrette and the salad.

Sherry Vinaigrette Ingredients

The dressing recipe makes more dressing than needed for the salad. You’ll have some leftover for another salad.

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup light vegetable oil, such as canola
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or a little more to taste)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients

4 ounces of baby lettuce, rinsed
4 ripe figs
10 cherries, cut in half and pit removed

Directions

Make the sherry vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk the honey and vinegar together until blended. Drizzle the oils into the bowl, whisking to combine the ingredients. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Let the dressing rest a bit, so that the salt dissolves. Dip a lettuce leaf in it and taste. Add more salt or pepper if needed.

Assemble the salad. Add the lettuce to a bowl. Quarter the figs and add them to the salad. Add the cherries.

Before serving, add about half of the vinaigrette to the salad and toss it. Add more dressing if you would like.

If you like this fig and cherry salad with sherry vinaigrette, you might like these salads.