Camembert Trifle With Black Mission Figs Food

POACHED FRESH FIGS

Steps:

• Combine wine, sugar, lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups water, thyme, and vanilla bean in a non-reactive medium size saucepan and heat to simmer, let simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Add figs to the syrup and continue to simmer until the figs are tender about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let figs cool about 10 minutes in the syrup. Remove and discard the thyme.
• Divide the figs among four glasses or bowls and spoon the warm syrup over the fruits. Garnish with Creme Fraiche and fresh thyme sprigs.

MISSION FIG CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make the batter: Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and milk until well blended. Add about 1/3of the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to form a paste, then gradually incorporate the remaining egg mixture. Whisk until well blended.
• Cook the figs: With the tip of a knife, scrape the vanilla bean seeds from the pod into an ovenproof 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Add the pod and the butter and cook over moderately high heat until the butter turns nut brown. Add the figs and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute to soften them. Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard. Sprinkle the figs with the granulated sugar, reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook until the the sugar has melted and is coating the figs in a light syrup. Add the grappa or other brandy, swirl the pan briefly, then spread the fruit evenly in the pan.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Working quickly, pour the batter through a sieve evenly over the fruit. Bake until the edges of the clafouti are puffed and browned and the center is set, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Put some confectioners' sugar in a sieve and generously dust the surface of the clafouti. Serve warm directly from the pan with a dollop of creme fraiche.

WINE-POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• Trim and halve the figs, place in a saucepan with the wine, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the wine is reduced by half and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the thyme sprigs. Serve on top of an assertive cheese, such as Manchego, blue, Taleggio, or a triple cream spread over bread slices.

BAKED GOAT CHEESE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION, GARLIC AND MISSION FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Crumble the goat cheese into an oven safe dish and set aside.
• In a sauce pot combine the figs and sherry with enough water to barely cover the figs. Place the sauce pot over high heat and bring up to a bubble, cover and remove from the heat and let the figs plump while the onions are cooking.
• Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon remove the plumped figs from the sauce pot, leaving behind any of the pluming liquid. Add the figs to the cooked onions, stir to combine and then spoon over the goat cheese. Place the dish into the top half of the oven for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to bubble.
• Remove and serve immediately with sliced baguettes.

DELISH BLACK MISSION FIGS!

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Arrange fig halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Top each fig half with goat cheese; lay prosciutto strips atop goat cheese layer.
• Broil figs in the preheated oven until prosciutto is crisp and goat cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the warm figs to a serving platter and drizzle with honey.

CAMEMBERT WITH BLUE CHEESE, FIGS AND PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Brush Camembert on all sides with egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on foil-lined plate and cover.
• Bring Port to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add figs; simmer until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to small bowl. Add sugar to Port in pan; boil until reduced to thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over figs. (Cheese and figs can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Refrigerate cheese. Let figs stand at room temperature.)
• Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add Camembert and cook until breadcrumbs are brown and cheese is warm, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Top with blue cheese, figs and syrup. Sprinkle with chives and surround with toasts.