This Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico Salad Recipe combines some of our favorite Spanish ingredients to make a beautifully vivid salad that is the perfect marriage of sweet with salty!
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The Rock Stars: Fresh, Ripe Figs
The success of this Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico Salad Recipe depends – hugely – on the quality of the figs. They are the rock stars of the salad, so it’s important that you only use fresh, ripe figs.
How do you know if your figs are ripe?
Ripe figs are lusciously sweet and delicious; unripe figs, not so much. Ripe figs are soft to the touch but not mushy, and when handled, they will yield to the slightest pressure. When selecting figs, it’s also important to ensure that their skins are smooth and not bruised and that their stems are intact (a loose stem is a sign that the fig is probably mushy on the inside). Indeed, there is a fine line between a ripe and a mushy fig, so if you’re not sure, try buying a few (or ask for a sample) to test your fig-selecting skills before committing to a larger purchase for your salad. Although it’s tempting sometimes to buy whatever is available during your weekly stop to the local grocery store (we’ve been there!), it’s worthwhile (trust us!) to shop around for the best figs; your salad will be well on its way to amazing!
Figs are grown throughout the Mediterranean and where Mediterranean climates are prevalent, including in many areas of Spain and California. As such, figs are commonly associated with Mediterranean cuisine, pairing incredibly well with pork, salty cured meats, and various cheeses, including Manchego.
Fresh Figs, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico. Oh Yes!
Manchego is a Spanish cheese made exclusively from sheep’s milk. It’s buttery, salty and nutty, which when combined with succulent figs, is a match made in heaven. But why stop there?
To add yet another savory dimension to the salad, we incorporate Jamón Ibérico (Ibérico or Iberian Ham), a renowned premium Spanish cured ham made from free range, black Ibérico pigs (also referred to colloquially as Pata Negra due to their black hooves). The production of this prized ham is strictly regulated in Spain and sold (and exported) in varying quality levels based largely on the principal diet of the pigs. The most highly prized (and expensive) of these is Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, which is made from Ibérico pigs that feed only on acorns (bellota) in the fall. This acorn diet gives the ham a sweet, nutty flavor and a rich, creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Oh yes! We really like Cinco Jotas Hand Sliced Ibérico de Bellota Shoulder, which we are able to purchase at a local speciality grocery store. Fortunately, if you do not have one near you, you can buy it on Amazon by clicking here!
The Final Touch To Our Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico Salad: Moscatel Vinaigrette
As the final sweet and savory touch that pulls all of the ingredients together, our Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico Salad is dressed with a vinaigrette made with Moscatel Vinegar, a special Spanish vinegar made from sweet, Muscat grapes, which as described on the bottle of O-Med vinegar featured above (which we love!), is perfect in its balance of sweetness and acidity.
Fresh Fig, Manchego and Jamón Ibérico Salad Recipe
- 2 tablespoons Moscatel Vinegar*
- 1 teaspoon raw Orange Blossom Honey (or other raw mild honey)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped
- 5 ounces of mixed salad greens (e.g., baby spinach and arugula, baby spring mix)
- 1/2 pound Manchego cheese aged about 6 months, cut (or shaved using a vegetable peeler) in thin triangular slices
- 8-10 large ripe figs, quartered
- 1.5 ounces Jamón Ibérico**
- 1/4 pound caramelized walnuts, for garnish
- In a glass bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, and then slowly whisk in the olive oil. When mixture is emulsified, stir in the basil. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- In a large salad bowl, drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad greens and toss.
- Plate the salad greens on a platter or 4 individual salad plates. Arrange with the figs, cheese and ham. Drizzle with additional salad dressing, as desired. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Garnish with caramelized walnuts
- *If Moscatel Vinegar is unavailable, aged Sherry Vinegar may be substituted. Sherry Vinegar is more acidic, so if using add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of additional honey to the dressing to increase sweetness.
- **If Jamón Ibérico is unavailable, Serrano may be substituted.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
Our Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese and Jamón Ibérico Salad pairs best with a wine that is slightly sweet to correspond with the slight overall sweetness of the salad, but not too sweet or full-bodied to overwhelm the other flavors, especially of the Jamón Ibérico. Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain made using the traditional (Champagne) method is the perfect pairing for this salad as a whole as well as with each of the main ingredients (i.e., the figs, Manchego and Jamón Ibérico). One Cava that we have particularly enjoyed this summer is produced by the Carbó family-owned Cavas Blancher, which we featured in our last post.
We hope you enjoy your salad and Cava!
If you have any comments or questions, we would love to hear from you.
Thank you for visiting!
