Name: Roasted fig and apple-glazed bacon salad
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ROASTED TOMATOES; 400g cocktail tomatoes; 10ml (2 tsp) olive oil; 5ml (1 tsp) garlic, finely chopped; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; APPLE-GLAZED BACON; 200g streaky bacon; 30ml (2 tbsp) apple sauce; ROASTED FIGS; 8 (about 200g) small figs, halved; olive oil, to drizzle; 15ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar; SALAD; 80g baby spinach; ½ (about 90g) red onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 x 400g tin borlotti beans, drained; 2 (about 300g) pears, cored and chopped; 80g salted cashews; handful microherbs; lemon wedges, to serve

Roasted figs are sweet, tender and delicious when combined with smoky bacon. The bacon is glazed with apple sauce, which gives it a sweet kick and some extra crunch once cooked.

Recipe and styling by Illanique van Aswegen

Photograph by Adel Ferreira

Print Recipe

Roasted fig and apple-glazed bacon salad

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

ROASTED TOMATOES
400g cocktail tomatoes
10ml (2 tsp) olive oil
5ml (1 tsp) garlic, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
APPLE-GLAZED BACON
200g streaky bacon
30ml (2 tbsp) apple sauce
ROASTED FIGS
8 (about 200g) small figs, halved
olive oil, to drizzle
15ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar
SALAD
80g baby spinach
½ (about 90g) red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 x 400g tin borlotti beans, drained
2 (about 300g) pears, cored and chopped
80g salted cashews
handful microherbs
lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

For the roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil and garlic together. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and roast in the oven, 15 minutes. Leave the oven on for the bacon.

For the apple-glazed bacon, place the bacon strips on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Brush the apple sauce onto the bacon and cook for a further 2 minutes. Once cool, break the rashers in half. Leave the oven on for the figs.

For the roasted figs, arrange the figs in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the sugar onto each half and roast for 10 minutes.

To assemble the salads, place some baby spinach at the bottom of each glass. Add a layer of roasted tomatoes, then scatter some red onion, beans and pears on top. Top with a layer of roasted figs and add some bacon pieces. Sprinkle over the cashews and microherbs and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing on the side – the zesty lemon is the perfect balance for the sweetness of the figs and bacon.

Notes

If you like to keep things simple and casual, scatter everything onto a large serving platter and allow your guests to dish up for themselves. If you do not have apple sauce to glaze the bacon, use honey or maple syrup instead.