Gooey, warm, caramelised figs - sweet, tangy and a little salty - with tenderstem broccoli, garlic and black pepper croutons, toasted almonds and crumbly vegan cheese on a bed of watercress and drizzled with a balsamic vinegar based dressing. Warm salads are perfect for enjoying in Autumn, where it's slightly colder, but the chill of winter hasn't yet set in; this one is layered with the most incredible flavours and textures that can serve 4-5 as a starter, or 2-3 as a main.
The figs were roasted in a mix of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, date syrup, thyme and a pinch of salt, they come out perfectly jammy and delicious and the liquid used for roasting doubles as a salad dressing. I made the croutons from some slightly stale sourdough, coated in garlic powder, plenty of black pepper, salt and a good glug of extra virgin olive oil - they are so deliciously savoury and satisfyingly crunchy, a perfect addition to this dish.
This salad is filled with good stuff like Vitamin C, B6, A, potassium, calcium and iron from the veggies as well as plenty of protein, fibre and good fats from the olive oil and almonds. It's the ideal proportion of savoury to sweet and every bite is packed with so much flavour. You'll be sure to impress with this one and it's super easy too!
Caramelised Fig & Tenderstem Broccoli Salad | Serves: 2-3 | Time: 40 mins
You'll Need
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Baking Dish
- Baking tray
- Saucepan
- Small frying pan
Ingredients
Caramelised Figs- 4 Figs
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp date syrup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 4 sprigs thyme
Garlic & Black Pepper Croutons
- 2 slices thick-cut crusty bread
- 1 tsp garlic
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
- 200g tender stem broccoli
- 1/2 red onion
- 30g vegan crumbly cheese
- Handful flaked almonds
- 50g watercress
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Remove the top of the fig and slice into 4. Transfer into a baking dish and add 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp date syrup, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper, mix together, spread out the figs, add a few sprigs of thyme and roast for 30 minutes.
- Slice the bread into 1cm cubes, add to a bowl with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, mix together then drizzle over olive oil and coat well. Spread out onto a baking tray and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, ensuring they cook evenly and do not burn.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until tender, then drain. Toast a handful of flaked almonds in a dry pan, thinly slice 1/2 red onion and crumble 30g vegan cheese.
- Place the watercress on a serving dish and layer up broccoli, roasted figs, croutons, flaked almonds, red onion and cheese. Drizzle over the liquid from the roasted figs, serve up and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
