On my first trip back to Lebanon in 1997,  I remember arriving to the village where my family is from to the sweet aroma of figs in the air. I probably ate more figs that summer than I have in my whole life.  When my wife brought home a case of figs from the market I knew we had to come up with something special. The flavors in this salad are simple and sure to please your family the way it did ours.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4  cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

8-10 fresh figs, halved

1 (8-oz.) package fresh mozzarella cheese sliced

4 cups baby arugula

Grape tomatoes

Directions

1. Place first  4 ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place figs in mixture and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
2. Arrange mozzarella, arugula and grape tomatoes on a large platter. Spoon fig mixture over cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.