Bruléed Figs with Beetroot & Endive

This late summer salad from Jeany Cronk’s At Home in Provence pairs glossy figs with salty blue cheese and a walnut and parsley pistou for a perfect celebration of warm, heady days

INGREDIENTS

• 8 figs
• 2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 3 cooked beetroots (beets)
• 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• Salt
• 2 heads of endive, or other robust salad leaf
• 100 g (3½ oz) crumbly blue cheese
• For the walnut-parsley pistou
• 60 g (2 oz) walnut halves
• 20 g (% oz) flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• ½ garlic clove, peeled
• Pinch of salt 50 g (1% oz) Parmesan, grated

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (350°F/Gas4).
• First, make the pistou. Place the walnut halves on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, or until they are lightly coloured and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
• Chop the parsley finely and add to a small bowl along with the extra virgin olive oil. In a pestle and mortar or a small food processor, crush or pulse the cooled walnuts with the garlic, salt and Parmesan until roughly ground but still a bit chunky. Add to the parsley oil and stir to combine. Drizzle with a little more oil to cover, then set aside.
• Cut the figs in half, stem to base. Place them on a baking sheet, and sprinkle their flesh with half of the sugar. Torch them with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar melts, or place under a hot grill (broiler). Wait a minute or two, then scatter with the remaining sugar and repeat until the sugar is melted and has formed a crisp, caramel sheen.
• Cut the beetroot into small chunks, place in a large bowl and toss with the red wine vinegar and the salt. Add the endive, or other leaves, and toss to coat. Divide the beetroot and leaves between plates, add the fig halves, spoon over the pistou and finish with the crumbled blue cheese.