Fig And Goat Cheese Toasts 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.

GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

FIG TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees or its highest possible setting. Toast the bread: lay the bread slices directly on the oven rack and toast in the heated oven until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Place the toast on 4 warmed plates.
• Meanwhile, trim stems off the figs. Slice the figs in half and dip them in sugar, turning so they are well coated. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the almonds, and saute until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Set them aside. Heat the remaining butter in a skillet until foaming. Add the figs, cut side down, and saute until done, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Set the figs on the toast and spoon over the pan juices. Top each toast with yogurt and a sprinkling of toasted almonds. Serve at once so the toast stays crisp.

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.

FIG JAM AND GOAT CHEESE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F
• Cut the baguette on the bias into about 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices and place on a baking sheet.
• Using 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, lightly brush each slice. Sprinkle with salt and bake until lightly toasted and crisp, about 8 minutes; let cool.
• Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. When the oil shimmers, gently place 2 to 3 sage leaves at a time into the hot oil until they darken in color and any bubbling subsides.
• Immediately remove the leaves with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper-towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with remaining sage leaves; set aside.
• Gently spread 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese on each crostini, top with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of the fig jam, and garnish with a fried sage leaf.

FIGS TOAST WITH CHUTNEY AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• The day before, make the chutney: Wash figs, and cut into eight. Peel and finely chop the onion.
• Put everything in a pan with the vinegar, sugar, spices and a pinch of salt. Heat until boiling. Lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Dispose in a bowl and allow to cool down completely before you refrigerate.
• Day of: Toast the bread slices. Spread two tablespoons of fig chutney on each slice. Add a little goat cheese, salt and pepper, pour a little olive oil.
• 2. Top with quartered figs and a few leaves of tarragon. Enjoy!
• There's a lot of variations you can make. Perhaps, you may want to pair the figs with some ricotta cheese and pine nuts or walnut instead, or maybe serve with some dry toast, pita chips, or even flatbreads. if you're interested in a more elaborated recipe for fig chutney, have a look over there.