Nestled beside the railroad tracks amidst the best antique shops Howard Avenue has to offer, there is a little Italian deli called DeliClub in Kensington, Maryland. Whenever I am in the area, I stop in and hope their fig, burrata & rocket salad is on the menu that day. Of course, living in Ireland means I need to learn from the inspiration to create a version at home. You may have seen me post about this salad on my Instagram. Well, by popular demand, I’m sharing my recipe.
This salad is a delicious combination of sweet and tangy flavors, with a creamy and crunchy texture. The balsamic vinaigrette complements the sweetness of the dried figs, while the nuts add a nutty crunch to the dish. The creamy burrata cheese rounds out the flavors, making this a truly enjoyable salad. It works equally well with mozzarella cheese. The recipe is flexible and forgiving. After the recipe, I explain how I’ve adapted this for a quick picnic lunch in a thermos.
The creamy, soft buffalo milk cheeses are versatile and well paired with a wide variety of salad greens, fruit, nuts, and vinaigrettes to create different flavor combinations. It’s a salad MVP with its texture, versatility, and richness. Added bonus that Toon’s Bridge Dairy has a herd of buffalo in County Cork, so I can get local burrata and mozarella. Either of these Irish buffalo cheeses elevates a simple greens to a gourmet meal. You can learn about their dairy farm from their website. Their supple fresh mozzarella that ends up being my go-to for this salad when I don’t have burrata on-hand.
Fig, Burrata & Rocket Salad
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 large dried figs, sliced (Tesco has these in the produce section with seeds & dried fruits)
- 4 oz rocket/arugula leaves
- 4 oz burrata or mozzarella cheese (I get mine from Toon’s Bridge Dairy)
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I prefer mine whole, as pictured)
- Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the shallots and dried figs to the vinaigrette.
- In a large bowl, add the clean rocket leaves.
- Add the vinaigrette to the bowl and toss gently to evenly coat the greens.
- Top the salad with the cheese, breaking it into pieces if necessary.
- Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top and add a bit of freshly ground pepper.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
I’ve also made a TikTok and IG Reel showing the process to make this.
On good weather days, I open and chill a thermos sans lid in the fridge while I mix the six ingredients. Then, once the thermos is chilled, I place that mixture in the bottom. After that, chop the mozzarella or burrata to go atop that and finish with a layer of rocket. I skip the nuts when it’s a picnic for the sake of allergy safety in public. I have no way of knowing who I encounter is allergic to nuts, so not worth the risk. I pack a fork and napkin then bring it with me.
Have you tried burrata in a salad? You know it’ll be amazing in a caprese too!
