Recipe: Fig-walnut salad has unexpected ingredient -- rose petals
Rose petals, hiding upper left, add a colorful touch to this salad. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)
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Crunchy, salty, chewy, sweet; this salad has a tasty mix of flavorful opposites plus one surprise.
Figs and walnuts, which are now coming into season, contrast with baby arugula, chard, kale and other cool-weather greens. Crumbled blue cheese gives the salad some extra tang.
This combination was inspired by a simply classic fig-arugula-feta salad served at Mulvaney’s B&L. The fresh walnuts provide some extra crunch.
For extra color, I added some fresh rose petals. (Yes, roses are edible, but only if you don’t spray or use systemic pesticides. Rinse petals well but gently to avoid bruising.)
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Many different baby greens work well in this salad. When thinning chard or kale (leafy greens generally cooked before serving), save those little discards for fresh salads. They add texture as well as flavor to fall salads.
Fig and walnut salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 fresh figs
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 cups fresh mixed baby greens (arugula, chard, kale, etc.)
¼ cup rose petals (optional)
Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
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Garden Checklist for week of April 14
It's still not warm enough to transplant tomatoes directly in the ground, but we’re getting there.
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.
* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrients. Fertilize shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.
* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.
* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.
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