Fig And Goat Cheese Bites Food

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTAS

Steps:

• Place the orange zest and orange juice in a medium (10-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the sugar, vanilla bean, and figs to the pot. Cover and bring to a full boil over medium heat. (Don't worry; it may look dry.) Stir the mixture and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat, and cook uncovered at a full simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the little bubbles to be throughout the pot, not just at the edges. After 45 minutes, refrigerate a small amount of the liquid to see if it becomes syrupy. It should be like a soft fruit preserve. Keep cooking just until the liquid starts to gel when cold. If the liquid is too firm, add a little orange juice or water, cook for a minute, and test it again until it's right. Depending on how ripe the figs are, they will probably keep their shape, but it's fine if they don't. Discard the vanilla bean and serve or refrigerate.
• Before serving, toast or grill the bread and spread with goat cheese. Spoon the fig preserves on, then the grated orange zest if using, and serve.

FIG AND PROSCIUTTO APPETIZER BITES

Steps:

• Place goat cheese on a sheet of plastic wrap. Top with another sheet of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to flatten into a 4x8-inch rectangle.
• Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and cover goat cheese with slices of prosciutto, slightly overlapping the edges. Cover prosciutto with a new sheet of plastic wrap and flip both sheets over so the goat cheese layer is now facing up.
• Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Cover goat cheese evenly with figs, basil, and black pepper. Starting from the long edge, roll tightly to form a log. Wrap log in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Toast the bread in a toaster and while it is still warm, spread the fig spread on each slice to cover it entirely. Place the cheese in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until it's creamy and spreadable. Spread a layer of the cheese on the fig spread, leaving the edges of the fig spread visible. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cut each toast crosswise to make appetizers that will be easy to eat. Place a fig slice on each piece, top with a few microgreens, and drizzle lightly with the balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE DESSERT PIZZA WITH PORT REDUCTION

Steps:

• Add port to a small pot, and simmer over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until it reduces to a couple of tablespoons and takes on the consistency of maple syrup. Reserve.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with corn meal. Place dough directly in the middle of the work surface. Roll dough out gently 1/4-inch thick, into either a 12-inch rectangle or circle. Brush both sides with oil and set aside until ready to grill.
• If you are grilling on a charcoal grill, set coals on one side of the grill.
• Place dough directly on the cooking grate over medium heat for 1 to 3 minutes, until the crust is well marked and browned. Flip dough and spread with orange marmalade on cooked side of pizza crust. Arrange fig slices in on top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Move to indirect heat (for charcoal: the side of charcoal grill that has no coals. For gas: turn off burner directly under pizza). Cover grill and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until bottom is well browned, and cheese is fully melted.
• Remove from grill. Slice, drizzle with port reduction, and serve immediately.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• In a small skillet, combine the vinegar and olive oil and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, then add the sliced figs. Simmer until the vinegar is reduced and syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes more. In a small bowl, stir together the goat and mascarpone cheeses. Spoon the cheese mixture into the pastry shells, top with a drizzle of honey, a sliced fig, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Chop up the dried apricots and set on the side of the pastry shells on the plate.

GOAT CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Toast pistachios in a small saute pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese and cream cheese using a wooden spoon. Form a heaping teaspoon of the cheese mixture into a small ball, and transfer to a small plate or parchment-lined baking sheet; repeat with remaining cheese mixture.
• Place peppercorns and pistachios each on two separate plates. Roll 18 of the balls in the peppercorns and the remaining 18 balls in the pistachios.

GOAT-CHEESE CROSTINI WITH FIG COMPOTE

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Brush both sides of baguette slices with oil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side; set toasts aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine figs, sugar, wine, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until thickened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let compote cool to room temperature.
• Dividing evenly, spread each toast with goat cheese, and top with compote. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

FIGS-IN-A-BLANKET WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and 1 cup water in a medium pot. Add figs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened and liquid has almost evaporated and is a syrupy consistency, 7-10 minutes. Transfer figs to a plate; let cool.
• Beat egg with 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. If using a 14-ounce package with 1 sheet of pastry, roll pastry to an 18x12" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. If using a 17-ounce package with 2 sheets of pastry, roll each sheet to a 12x9" rectangle. Cut pastry along the 12" side into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips. Cut each strip crosswise into pieces about 4 1/2" long. You should have 48 (4 1/2x1") strips pastry.
• Scoop a heaping 1/2 tsp. cheese and press into cut side of 1 fig half. Place fig half in the center of 1 pastry strip. Brush 1 end of pastry with egg wash and roll to enclose. Transfer seam side down to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining cheese, figs, and pastry. Brush top of each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, if using. Bake pastries, rotating and switching sheets top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown and puffed, 15-18 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Figs can be cooked 2 days ahead; cover and chill.