Fig Tapenade Food

FIG AND OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• Combine figs and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, and liquid has reduced. Remove from heat, and stir in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne. Add olives and garlic, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
• Unwrap cream cheese block, and place on a serving platter. Spoon tapenade over cheese, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with slices of French bread or crackers.

FIG TAPENADE

Steps:

• Note: I have prepared this appetizer several times using small pieces of brie or crumbled Gorgonzola to replace the goat cheese. Sweet and tangy flavours blend well.
• Combine figs and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often until liquid is absorbed, place fig mixture into a small bowl.
• Stir in olives, vinegar, oil, thyme and pepper, set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Top each toasted muffin half with cheese and 1 tablespoon of fig tapenade.
• Place muffin halves on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Cut each baked muffin in half or quarters for bite-sized pieces.
• If you use baguette slices, arrange on a baking sheet, broil until lightly toasted on one side only; then spread untoasted side with tapenade and top with cheese.
• Garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve and enjoy!
• On the day of the party, assemble the "mini pizzas" up to an hour in advance, cover and leave at room temperature until ready to bake.

FIG AND OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.
• In a food processor or with an immersion blender, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you've achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Season with black pepper and salt, if necessary. (The spread can be thinned with a bit of the reserved fig poaching liquid.).
• Serve tapenade with slices of baguette or pita triangles that have been lightly brushed with olive oil and perhaps sprinkled with salt and fresh thyme, or a dusting of chili powder, then toasted on a baking sheet in the oven until nice and crisp.

FIG AND POMEGRANATE TAPENADE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Line small baking sheet with foil. Brush foil with olive oil. Lightly brush figs with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange figs, cut side up, on sheet. Broil until figs are lightly browned at edges, about 3 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.
• Combine figs, olives, capers, pomegranate molasses, rosemary, and vinegar in processor. Using on/off turns, coarsely chop figs and olives. With motor running, add remaining 1tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Stir in walnuts. Let tapenade stand 2 hours at room temperature to blend flavors. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• *A thick pomegranate syrup that's available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets.

FIG-OLIVE TAPENADE WITH PROSCIUTTO AND PERSIMMON

Steps:

• Place figs in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until soft and pliable, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and coarsely chop.
• In a food processor, combine chopped figs, olives, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil, and process until mixture becomes a paste, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste and add more lemon juice and olive oil if you like.
• Spoon tapenade into a bowl or crock and serve alongside thinly sliced prosciutto, persimmon wedges and bread, crackers or breadsticks.

FIG-OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• 1. In a small saucepan, simmer the figs in the water with the lid askew for 10 to 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain.
• 2. If using a mortar and pestle, mash the olives with the garlic, capers, anchovies, mustard, and rosemary. (Sometimes I chop the olives first, which means less pounding later.) Pound in the figs. Once they are broken up, stir in the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• 3. If using a food processor, pulse the olives, figs, garlic, capers, anchovies, mustard, rosemary, and lemon juice to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you've achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Don't overdo it; good tapenade should be slightly rough. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

BLACK OLIVE AND FIG TAPENADE

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until blended to desired consistency.
• Serve at room temperature.

FIG AND WALNUT TAPENADE WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine chopped figs and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and figs are soft, about 7 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, and chopped thyme. Season tapenade to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• Arrange overlapping cheese rounds in circle in center of medium platter. Stir chopped walnuts into tapenade; spoon into center of cheese circle. Garnish with walnut halves and thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve with breads and/or crackers.

WALNUT AND FIG TAPENADE WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine chopped figs and 1/3 cup water in heavy saucepan.
• Cook over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and figs are soft, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer to medium bowl.
• Mix in olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, and chopped thyme.
• Season tapenade to taste with salt and pepper.*.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Bring to room temperature before serving.
• *This dish can be prepared 2 days in advance.
• Arrange overlapping cheese rounds in the center of a medium platter.
• Stir chopped walnuts into tapenade and place in center of cheese circle.
• Garnish with walnut HALVES and thyme sprigs.
• Serve with great crackers.

KALAMATA AND FIG TAPENADE

Steps:

• Place the olives, figs, lemon zest and juice, garlic, capers, red pepper flakes, thyme, pepper, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend, but do not puree. Add the oil and pulse a few more times to form a cohesive but still coarse paste. Add the walnuts and pulse until they are chopped but small pieces are still visible.
• Make ahead: Tapenade can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.