Green Bean Salad with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette

from Robert Cubberly of Le Petite Robert

Serves 6

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INGREDIENTS:
For the Salad
Green Bean Salad
3 cups baby green beans (Haricots Verts), blanched in salted water
3 cups greens, arugula or watercress is good
2 cups roasted red onions, julienned
½ cup fig balsamic vinaigrette
salt
cracked black pepper
12 each figs, cut in wedges
½ cup walnuts, toasted
4 ounces Fourme D’Ambert Cheese or other cows milk blue cheese

For the Vinaigrette
1 cup fig balsamic puree
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
Salt
Pepper
½ cup walnut oil
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup olive oil

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PREPARATION:
For the Salad
1. Toss the beans, greens and onions with the vinaigrette and correct the seasonings.
2. Garnish with the figs, walnuts and cheese.

For the Vinaigrette
1. To make fig balsamic vinegar puree take one basket of very ripe figs (or one cup dried figs) and puree with 2 cups balsamic vinegar. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 month.

2. Combine the shallots, salt and pepper with the balsamic fig puree, then whisk in the oils.