TASTEful Recipes: Celebrate the Pig with Fig!

TASTEful Recipes: Celebrate the Pig with Fig!

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 Cincy Chic teamed up with TASTE Magazine – your source for Food, Drink, Fashion and Style – to provide you with recipes, food/drink related editorial and their extensive restaurant guides. This recipe comes from a TASTE contributor, to (hopefully) a plate near you!

Figs are so versatile and yummy.  Dried figs are available year-round, fresh figs are available from California June through September.

They can be used in both a savory and sweet application and because of their versatility can be served as an appetizer, salad or dessert. 

Below are two recipes that we use often with our guests at The Art of Entertaining. 

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

  • An American Sparkling
  • A German Late Harvest


Enjoy!

Fresh Fig & Lemon Mascarpone Cream Tart
6 Servings

For crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water


For filling
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red-currant jelly
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 lb fresh figs


0208GIBBERMAN.gif Special equipment: an 11 1/4- by 8- by 1-inch rectangular or 10-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep) with a removable bottom


Make crust:

  • Pulse together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and rosemary and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse until just incorporated.
  • Gently squeeze a small handful: If it doesn’t hold together, add more water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition and continuing to test.
  • Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of tart pan with floured fingers. Smooth dough with a small offset metal spatula or back of a spoon (floured if necessary), then roll a rolling pin over top of pan to trim dough flush with rim. Chill crust until firm, about 30 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Bake crust in middle of oven until center and edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes (don’t worry if bottom of crust cracks), then cool in pan on a rack.

Prepare filling and assemble tart:

  • Whisk together sour cream, mascarpone, sugar, zest, and salt in a bowl.
  • Heat jelly and honey in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking, until jelly is melted, about 4 minutes, then cool glaze slightly.
  • Remove side of tart pan and spread mascarpone cream in shell. Cut figs lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange decoratively over cream. Brush figs with honey glaze.

 

Cooks’ notes:

  • Crust can be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
  • Mascarpone mixture can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
  • Tart can be assembled 1 hour ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature.


Figs, Balsamic Vinegar, Mascarpone and Walnuts
Serves 6

1 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 lb dried Mission figs, stems discarded
3/4 cup walnut pieces (2 oz), toasted
1/2 cup mascarpone

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring wine, vinegar, and sugar to a boil in a 3-quart heavy nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add figs and gently

simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Pour figs with liquid into a 2-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake, uncovered, until figs are softened and have absorbed about two thirds of liquid, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Serve warm figs with sauce and a dollop of mascarpone.

Cook’s Note:
This same dish can be served as a salad over mixed greens.

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