Dressing for salad containing figs, roasted peaches, raspberries? alcohol or not? eau de vie, brandy, natural limoncello?

This is to accompany or be alternative for, a rich dessert -- carrot cake -- being brought by one of the guests

porchapples
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9 Comments

Diana B.
Diana B. August 24, 2013
I think this, also from the NYT, but a few years back, would be nice:

Dessert Vinaigrette For Figs
By ROZANNE GOLD
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup melted butter
12 to 16 figs
1. Warm orange juice in a small saucepan. Add vinegar and sugar, and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. (Do not boil.) Whisk in oil and then butter until dressing emulsifies.
2. Wash fresh figs, and remove stems. Slice figs, and arrange in decorative pattern on a plate. Pour warm dressing on top; serve.

YIELD
2 cups

 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. August 26, 2013
tHIS IS JUST fascinating!! after reading recipes for 48 years,my very fav thing is to see a completely new concept!
Thank you so much for posting this!
 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. August 24, 2013
i wss kind of wondering about lemon. Here's a diff thought: what about serving the salad w/ the balsamic drizzle, and serve a shot of iced limoncello on the side? my only cncern is that there are a lot of crummy limoncellos out there........
 
pierino
pierino August 24, 2013
There are indeed a lot of crummy limoncello out there, in part because it's not a high end drink to begin with. It's more or less unique to the Amalfi coast of Italy. You can put it in a fancy bottle but there is really nothing special about it unless you are sitting over the sea in Positano and finishing a meal. I've been served limoncello here in the USA that was house made---almost the equivalent of bath tub gin. I've had this in a number of Italian restaurants where, if they know you, they might bring you out a small glass except that they are not allowed to sell it. The basic formula begins with a high alcohol spirit like Everclear which is diluted with lemon to the point where it's down to about 32% alcohol.
 
pierino
pierino August 24, 2013
Peaches and Lillet Blanc is a classic southern combination. Better still have you have lemon verbena handy.
 
Kristen W.
Kristen W. August 24, 2013
Agree about the balsamic drizzle. Also think a little chiffonade of basil might provide a nice herbaceous note.
 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. August 24, 2013
i'm 'mind tasting' these options you mentioned. I would not go for brandy, liquers. too sweet. i'm thinking tartness and depth of flavor which ,for me, is spelled Balsamic. So i would cook down Carrot cake can be so cloyingly sweet that i find acid to help in countering that. I might cook down some balsamic vngr ito a syrup and drizzle that over the fruit salad before serving. and add a bit of fresh coarsely ground black pepper. Some roasted almonds might be a welcome addition as well
 
thebunalsorises
thebunalsorises August 23, 2013
There was a fig dressing recipe in the NYT dining section this week. Check it out online!
 
Monita
Monita August 23, 2013
I don;t think you need much of a dressing just a drizzle of something like a honey/lime/lime zest combo Or a an infused simple syrup. You could infuse with a herb like rosemary, or a tea like jasmine or chamomille
 
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