Fresh Figs With Stilton and Walnuts in a Honey Drizzle Dressing

A new fig recipe for this year! Similar to my Fresh Fig and Feta Salad With Toasted Walnuts but with blue cheese and a honey drizzle dressing. I like to tuck a few fig leaves amongst the salad for colour........but please do wipe them first! Serve these figs with crusty bread, some mixed herb and salad leaves.......and a glass of chilled wine. Quantities for figs depend on the size; allow one or two large figs per person or, between three and six for medium to small figs.This makes a fabulous dinner party starter, or a light salad for lunch..........I sometimes serve this for the cheese course too, for something a little different.

• Ready In: 5 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 24 -30  fresh figs, medium to large
• 6 -9  ounces blue cheese, such as Stilton or 6 -9  ounces Roquefort cheese
• 9  ounces walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 2  tablespoons  clear runny honey
• 6  tablespoons walnut oil
• 1  tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
•  salt
•  black pepper
•  fresh  fig leaf (to garnish)

Directions

1. Toasted Walnuts:.
2. In a large, heavy frying pan, over a high heat, toast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside to cool.
3. Honey Drizzle Dressing.
4. Put the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a screw-top jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the honey and walnut oil, then shake again to emulsify – the emulsion will hold for ten minutes or so, but give it another jiggle just before you use it to dress the salad.
5. Salad:.
6. Wipe the fresh figs gently, and cut them in half. Arrange them on a large platter, OR on individual plates - allowing 4 to 5 fresh figs per person, depending on the size.
7. Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 ozs of crumbled or sliced blue cheese per person, over the top of the fresh figs.
8. Scatter the chopped,toasted walnuts over the fig salad.
9. Just before serving, drizzle the honey dressing over the salad, and garnish each plate with 1 - 2 fresh fig leaves if available.
10. Serve with crusty bread and butter and mixed herb and salad leaves.
11. Can also be served as a dessert/cheese course combined.