Fig and goat cheese tart

You may have noticed my discrete love affair with figs lately. There was figs with mascarpone, chocolate and wine and figs poached in galliano. Well, fearing the fig season is coming to an end and panicked. I snapped up some delicious looking ripe specimens this week at shopping. The idea was to use them in some delightful way when our friend Kat came on her regular visit.

You may remember my recent trip to the Byron Bay Farmers Markets? I picked up some delightful Nimbin Valley Dairys Lemon Billy goats cheese. My mind raced with possibilities – it had to be a marriage of biblical proportions, right? Then I stumbled across this gem by Donna Hay. The rest, as they say, is a delicious memory of savoury delight.

[  SERVES: 6  |  TIME: 15 MIN  |  COST: <$5 - 6  ]
[  JOES' RATING: 4/5  |  MY RATING:  4.5/5 |  Kats' RATING:  4.5/5]

Ingredients

• 4 sheets short crust (commercially produced)
• 130 g Nimbin Valley Dairys Lemon Billy goats cheese or similar
• 4 ripe figs
• 3 free range eggs
• 180 ml cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives
• ½ cup grated romano pecorino cheese
• freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Methods

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Spray your tart tins with cooking oil. Cut the pastry sheets in quarters or in half (depending on size) to line your tart tins. Trim the excess from the edges and pierce the base of the tarts with a fork.
3. Cut the figs in half, and place half of a fig in the centre of each tart. Crumble some goat cheese around the fig.
4. In a bowl, combine the eggs, grated cheese, chives, and salt and pepper. Whisk well until well incorporated and aerated. Pour mixture carefully into around the figs.
5. Bake the tarts for 25 minutes or until the cream & egg mixture has set and the pastry is cooked.
6. Delicious hot or cold. nom nom

Observations

• There is a sophistication to this dish that can not be overstated. It is flavourful, delightfully surprising and is quite more’ish. It would make a sensational appetizer for a dinner party, or just a special treat for guests. It would be beautiful served with a fresh salad of greens on the side.
• The cheese I used today was marinated with lemon myrtle, busy pepper and roasted garlic. It gave a delightful subtle lemony flavour to the entire dish.
• We all felt that the punch of the goats cheese was a little too subtle. Next time, Id definitely add more goats cheese than stated above.
• Diabetic Note: Oh dear…….. lets just not worry about that, shall we?
• Ethical Note: Local produce once again with a low carbon footprint make this meal even more special.

Related articles

• Figs poached in Galliano (mizrhi.wordpress.com)
• Herbed Goat Cheese Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers (happygoodtime.com)
• Shaved Asparagus, Fig and Goat Cheese Galette with Balsamic Reduction (happygoodtime.com)
• Baaaah! Goat’s cheese and red onion tart (blackcatoriginals.wordpress.com)
• Recipe: Lavender Goat Cheese Tart with Cranberry Port Compote (theknifeandsteel.com)
• Fig Goat Cheese & Blackberries on Toast: Plus More Little Bites on Toast (thekitchn.com)
• Almond and fresh fig tarts (gluten, dairy free) (wholesomecook.wordpress.com)

 

Figs poached in Galliano

Ahhh figs! You like em, I like em – We all like em! Right now (for the Aussies at least) they are in season, and at their most spectacular awesomeness. You may have remembered me talking the other day about dessert wine, figs, chocolate and mascarpone cheese? Well it was a little ironic that the girls turned up with figs, as I had some in the fridge already! And tonight was their night to shine.

[  SERVES: 4  |  TIME: 15 MIN  |  COST: <$5 - 8  ]
[  JOES' RATING: 4/5  |  MY RATING:  4/5 |  BRITTANYS' RATING:  2.5/5]

Ingredients

4 fresh figs
1 cup galliano liqueur (we used vanilla flavoured galliano)
4 scoops ice cream
2 star anise
toasted pine nuts to garnish

Method

1. Cut a X shape into the bottom of each fig that goes about half way into the fig.
2. In a very small saucepan, carefully place the figs so they are sitting up. Pour in the liqueur and add the star anise. Put it on a moderate heat – You want to achieve a rolling simmer, not a rapid boil.
3. When the liquid has reduced by about a half and started to thicken, remove from heat.
4. Serve with a little ice cream, and a drizzle of reduced galliano sauce. Garnish and devour immediately.

Observations

• O. M. G!! That is one dessert that we will remember for quite some time! Joe and I loved it, but the galliano flavour was a bit much for Brittany.
• It is rich, so be warned. The ice cream helps to cut back some of the intensity. It could also be served with some vanilla infused ricotta or mascarpone cheese.
• Diabetic note: To be honest, I haven’t looked. I am going to assume that the galliano is very high in sugars as it is a liqueur. As a result, I just had a small drizzle, and a tiny bit of ice cream. It is definitely a treat food, rather than a staple. Enjoy it by all means, (and please, take my guilt……. I’ve got enough for two!)
• Ethical Note: Please know the source of your produce. Shop locally where possible, and avoid the nasty supermarket chains!

Related articles

• Almond and fresh fig tarts (gluten, dairy free) (wholesomecook.wordpress.com)
• Figs with Mascarpone, chocolate and wine! (mizrhi.wordpress.com)
• The Fig. (social4social.com)
• Vanilla Poached Figs, Cherries and Pistachio Parfaits (foodsventures.wordpress.com)