Sweet potato and fig salad, a match made in heaven

This is not my own recipe and full credits go to the man I love them most, my husband aside, Yotam Ottolenghi. I was a tourist in London around 17 years ago when I first walked past the Ottolenghi shop window in Notting Hill. The famous merengues cought my eye and the rest ist history. I serously considered opening up branches in my home town, Munich a bit later, but love came in the way, but love also got me closer to the many Ottolenghi cafes and restaurants so I don't mind!

This recipe is from their Jerusalem book and this one is just the most delicious and really easy to make! I would not have put those ingredients together but it really works!! The below is a slight variation

Ingredients:

2-3 medium sweet potatoes

4 ripe figs

5 spring onions

Crumbly goats cheese, roughly 50g (to taste)

1/2 tspn of chilli flakes

olive oil

lemon juice to taste

salt and pepper to taste

5 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp sugar

I small red chilli (optional)

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into medium size wedges. Put on baking tray , drizzle with some oil and add some salt and then roast in the oven for around 30 minutes. You want them soft but not mushy.

Whilst the sweet potatoes are in the oven, quarter the figs, cut the spring onion into 4cm long strips. Make the balsamic reduction by slowly cooking the vinegar and sugar on a mdium heat for around 5minutes and leave to cool (it should be still runny, butset a bit).

In a pan, fry the chilli (if using) and spring onions.

To assemble, take the sweet potato wedges first, then add the fresh figs and crumbly goats cheese, mix in the onions and chilli and drizzle the balsamic reduction on top.