Caramelized Figs With Honey Thyme And Crème Fraîche Food

CARAMELIZED FIGS WITH HONEY, THYME AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Spoon the honey over the cut sides of the figs. Heat a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the butter - it should sizzle briskly when it hits the pan. Throw in the thyme sprigs, followed by the figs, cut sides down. Leave undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes to caramelize, then turn the figs over and cook for another minute.
• Transfer the figs to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat and add about 5 tablespoons water. Simmer, scraping the caramelized honey with a spoon. Pour this sauce over the figs and serve warm with generous spoonfuls of crème fraîche and a few extra thyme leaves.

CARAMELIZED FIGS WITH HONEY AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat honey and fennel seeds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add figs, cut-side down; sprinkle almonds on top. Cook figs until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Serve warm, topped with cheese and drizzled with more honey, with crackers.

PINE NUT AND HONEY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand or in the food processor. Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt and then rub or pulse in the flour and egg yolks. When the mixture has come together, looking like coarse breadcrumbs, add the milk or water. Gently pat together to form a small ball of dough. Wrap and let rest for an hour.
• Carefully cut thin slices of the pastry (or you can roll out if you prefer) and place in and around the bottom and sides of a 12-inch (30-centimeter) tart pan. Push the pastry together and level out and tidy up the sides. Cover and let to rest in the freezer for about 1 hour.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), and bake the pastry for around 15minutes until lightly golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
• While the pastry is in the oven, toast the pine nuts under the grill.
• Using a spatula, or a food processor, whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in your pine nuts, add the eggs 1 at a time, and then fold in the honey, flour, thyme, orange zest, and salt. Spoon into the tart shell and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Add a few uncooked pine nuts to the top of the mixture for decoration.
• Serve with caramelized figs (grilled with a little sugar), creme fraiche and a little lemon thyme.
• Serving suggestions: carmelized figs and creme fraiche.

HONEY-AND-THYME-POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring the wine and the apple juice to a boil with the honey, the thyme, and the vanilla and simmer the mixture for 3 minutes. Add the figs and simmer the mixture, covered partially, for 5 minutes, or until the figs are very soft. Serve the figs warm with the syrup in stemmed glasses topped with the mascarpone and the zest.

CARAMELIZED-ONION FLATBREADS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• For bread dough:
• Whisk 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water and yeast in small bowl; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes.
• Mix flour, nigella seeds, and salt in medium bowl. Add yeast mixture and stir with wooden spoon until mixture clumps together. Add butter; mix until incorporated. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces; roll each into ball. Place on baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep covered and refrigerate.)
• For caramelized onions:
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion wedges to skillet and cook without turning until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Carefully turn onions over; reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until onions are tender and brown, occasionally stirring gently, about 10 minutes. Add thyme and honey; cook 1 minute. Stir in vinegar. Seasonto taste with salt and pepper. Remove skillet from heat. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour. Whisk crème fraîche and egg in small bowl to blend. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle 2 rimmed baking sheets lightly with semolina flour. Roll out each dough ball to 5-inch round. Transfer 3 rounds to each prepared baking sheet. Let rest 10 minutes. Pierce dough rounds all over with fork. Spread 1 generous tablespoon crème fraîche mixture over each dough round, leaving 1/4-inch plain border. Arrange onions evenly atop each; drizzle lightly with crème fraîche mixture (mixture may spill over edges of dough).
• Bake flatbreads until crusts are puffed and golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to plates; sprinkle with chives.
• *Available at some supermarkets, and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.