Chef Cecelia's Warm Arugula Salad

photo @sarahbaniak

Warm Arugula Salad 

Yields: 2 servings

Equipment needed

• Chef’s knife

• Stainless mixing bowl

• Skillet

• Whisk

Ingredients

• 2 cups baby arugula lettuce

• 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 small red onion cut into wedges with stem on

• 4 dry figs sliced

• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed

• 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

• zest and juice from one orange

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method of Preparation

• Wash and spin dry baby arugula and set aside in medium mixing bowl

• Toast pumpkin seeds in low heat skillet, turning occasionally to prevent burning

• Remove seeds from skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Add red onion wedges to oiled skillet to caramelize. You may need to drizzle a little more oil to skillet. When caramelized on both sides, remove onions

• Add sliced figs and thyme leaves to skillet, cooking figs until browned

• Add white balsamic vinegar to skillet with figs and thyme, deglazing the skillet. You’ll need to scrape the bottom, turn to low heat. Then add zest and juice from one orange

• While the dressing is heating, arrange your onion wedges on salad plate

• In mixing bowl with arugula, add half of the pumpkin seeds and sliced figs

• Toss the warm dressing over the greens, arrange on salad plate with onion wedges

• Divide the remaining pumpkin seeds, prosciutto and sliced figs among the two salad plates, and top with goat cheese

Note: This recipe was adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe. Chef used pumpkin seeds, dried figs, goat cheese and white balsamic vinegar. If you eat pork, you can add 1/2 cup prosciutto, crisping it after toasting the pumpkin seeds