I love hors d'oeuvres but most recipes for them are a bit too involved for the home cook. They require an unrealistic amount of preparation and have to be served right away and the ones that don't are just a little bit dull. This recipe comes from Tyler Florence. The combination of warm figs, melted blue cheese, salty, velvety prosciutto and sweet honey are guaranteed to wow your guests.
And although the flavor combination is beautifully sophisticated, the best thing about this spectacular nibblie is how easy it is to prepare and that it can all be done in advance. It's great alongside some crostini smeared with goat cheese and topped with tapenade, a wedge of Manchego, a bowl of almonds and a glass of wine.
Proscuitto Roasted Figs
Serves 10 or so
30 ripe figs
1 small wedge of Blue Cheese cut into small chunks about the size of a raisin
10 slices of Proscuitto, each cut into 3 pieces, lengthwise
2 tablespoons honey
a couple grindings of fresh cracked pepper
With a small knife, make a vertical slit in the side of each fig. Gently wedge in the piece of cheese and squeeze shut. Next wrap each fig with the slice of prosciutto. The figs can be prepared a day or so in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered in cling film.
When your guests arrive, preheat the oven to 400º F and remove the figs from the refrigerator. Place the figs on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the figs are warm, the cheese is soft and the prosciutto has sort melted onto and enveloped the fig. Drizzle with the honey and grind over the black pepper. Place the figs on a platter and serve immediately. It's fantastic when the figs are still warm from the oven, but it's just as delicious at room temperature.
I had something similar recently... dates instead of figs... no cheese, honey or pepper... bacon instead of ham...
Technically all different ingredients, but theoretically very similar. Yours sound much better.
I thought what I tried was cloyingly sweet, but maybe these other ingreients could enhance that. You'd have to be very careful with sugar content and about not filling up your guests with this... dried figs and meat and cheese is not a light finger food!
a similar recipe: skewer fresh figs on rosemary sticks and place under the broiler until they get glossy, then serve on a platter with a wedge of blue cheese. Have your guests take a skewer of figs. The figs are so soft that they are easily cracked with a finger, place a hunk of cheese inside and enjoy.
Paul - this is a favorite dish at a restaurant in my neighborhood called Salt. It's sweet, but not cloyingly so. You just eat one or two. They're made in a salamander (that's a broiler to you and me at home), which seals the bacon around the date. They're finished with a drizzle of syrup that might be honey based.
Jenny - yum!
I think my produce guide could improve the quality of your ingredients. FruitSeasons.com
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