Fig And Walnut Tapenade Recipes

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.

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.

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.

FRESH FIG AND WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Cream sugar, shortening, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until blended; mixture will be a little dry. Stir in figs and walnuts; mixture will get added moisture from the figs. Use a medium cookie scoop to drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges start to brown, 12 to 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to scoop and bake remaining batches.