Fig And Stilton Squares Recipes

FIG TART WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, ROSEMARY AND STILTON

Steps:

• In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions, rosemary and sugar. Cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. Stir in the onions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry (let excess egg mixture drip back into bowl), leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. Use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. Gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.
• Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with rosemary needles and drizzled with honey, if desired, warm or at room temperature.

FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For baking: 1 egg, beaten For dough, in a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add 1/4 pound soft butter and work finely into flour. Cut cold butter into 1/2 pieces and add to bowl. Work in until butter is left pea-sized. Drizzle water over mixture and toss in. If dough is dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Dough should be loose in bowl, not in a ball. Turn out onto work surface and pull together. Divide into 2 equal portions, flatten each slightly, and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour before rolling. (Refrigerate up to 3 days, freeze up to 6 months.) For the fig filling, in a large saucepan, combine all but 1/3 of the grated zest and butter, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until fruit is soft and liquid thickened. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add butter and puree to blend. Add remaining zest and pulse in. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. To assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 11 by 17-inch baking sheet (up to 12 x18) with parchment paper. Remove one of the wrapped pieces of dough from the refrigerator and unwrap. Roll dough on a floured surface into a rectangle to fit the bottom and sides of the baking sheet. Line the sheet with the dough. Place the baking sheet in the freezer while the second piece of dough is rolled out in the same way. Remove baking sheet from freezer and spread fig filling evenly over the surface of the dough. Top with the second sheet of dough and pinch the edges to seal. Trim the excess dough. Brush surface of dough with beaten egg. Prick through the top layer of dough with a fork evenly over the surface (about 1 1/2 apart.) Place baking sheet on bottom rack of oven. Bake 25 to35 minutes, until dough is a light-medium golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into portions (squares are traditional.)

FIG AND STILTON SQUARES

Steps:

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 16-by-11 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim to form a 10 1/2-by-15-inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry to a large rimmed baking sheet and cut into 1 3/4-inch squares; you should have about 48. Freeze the squares until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange 12 squares on the sheet and cover with more parchment paper. Top the squares with another baking sheet, bottom side down. If you have another pair of baking sheets, repeat with 12 more squares. Bake the squares for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Transfer the squares to a rack to cool. Repeat to bake the remaining squares. Return as many cooled squares as will fit to a baking sheet. Top each square with 1/2 teaspoon of the fig preserves. Sprinkle with the Stilton and bake for about 5 minutes, until the Stilton is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

STILTON & FIG SALAD WITH HONEY-THYME DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Put the honey and thyme leaves in a small pan, then gently warm together for 2 mins - the honey shouldn't get hot enough to bubble. Set aside to cool. Make a dressing by whisking together the cider vinegar and rapeseed oil with some seasoning.
• To serve, gently toss the chopped hazelnuts, fennel and rocket with the dressing. Divide the cheese between 4 plates, add a fig half to each, then a pile of the salad. Finally drizzle the thyme-infused honey over the figs and cheese.

FRESH FIGS WITH STILTON AND WALNUTS IN A HONEY DRIZZLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Toasted Walnuts:.
• In a large, heavy frying pan, over a high heat, toast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside to cool.
• Honey Drizzle Dressing.
• Put the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a screw-top jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the honey and walnut oil, then shake again to emulsify - the emulsion will hold for ten minutes or so, but give it another jiggle just before you use it to dress the salad.
• Salad:.
• Wipe the fresh figs gently, and cut them in half. Arrange them on a large platter, OR on individual plates - allowing 4 to 5 fresh figs per person, depending on the size.
• Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 ozs of crumbled or sliced blue cheese per person, over the top of the fresh figs.
• Scatter the chopped,toasted walnuts over the fig salad.
• Just before serving, drizzle the honey dressing over the salad, and garnish each plate with 1 - 2 fresh fig leaves if available.
• Serve with crusty bread and butter and mixed herb and salad leaves.
• Can also be served as a dessert/cheese course combined.

SCRUMPTIOUS FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For filling: Finely chop figs in processor (do not puree).
• Combine with juice, sugar and peel in small saucepan.
• Simmer until thickened to consistency of jam, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and cinnamon.
• Cool completely.
• For pastry: Preheat oven to 350F (160C).
• Line 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish with foil.
• Cream butter with mixer until light; add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in small bowl to blend.
• Add to butter until mixture just starts to come together.
• Separate in half.
• Press one half into pan, just coming up sides slightly.
• Brush pastry edges with egg white.
• Spread filling over pastry, leaving a ¼ inch border.
• Crumble remaining pastry evenly over pan, and lightly pat down with hands, bringing to edge of pan.
• Combine 2 tblsps sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Brush pastry crust with remaining egg white and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until crust around edge is firm to the touch and pastry just begins to colour, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• Remove pastry from pan, using foil as aid.
• Cut into 1 ½ inch squares.