Southern Spinach Salad

1 cup dried figs, quartered
1½ cups champagne vinegar
¼ cup diced shallots
1½ cups olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 slices thinly sliced white bread, crusts removed, and halved diagonally, making 2 triangles
¼ lb. blue cheese
½ Vidalia onion, thinly sliced and divided into rings
½ cup pecans, toasted
1 large bunch baby spinach

In a small pot over medium heat, rehydrate figs in vinegar for ½ hour. Let mixture cool. Place in food processor, and pulse until figs are in small pieces. In a medium size bowl, whisk figs and shallots and add 1½ cups olive oil, salt, and pepper. Preheat oven to 325º. Sprinkle the triangular toasts with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toast the croutons in the oven. Crumble some of the blue cheese on top of each crouton. Melt the blue cheese on the toast points under broiler. While cheese is melting, toss the baby spinach in the fig vinaigrette. Divide the spinach onto two plates, add ½ the onion slices and ½ the toasted pecans. Place 3 hot croutons on each plate.