Fig Goat Cheese Nests Recipes

FIGS-IN-A-BLANKET WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and 1 cup water in a medium pot. Add figs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened and liquid has almost evaporated and is a syrupy consistency, 7-10 minutes. Transfer figs to a plate; let cool.
• Beat egg with 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. If using a 14-ounce package with 1 sheet of pastry, roll pastry to an 18x12" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. If using a 17-ounce package with 2 sheets of pastry, roll each sheet to a 12x9" rectangle. Cut pastry along the 12" side into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips. Cut each strip crosswise into pieces about 4 1/2" long. You should have 48 (4 1/2x1") strips pastry.
• Scoop a heaping 1/2 tsp. cheese and press into cut side of 1 fig half. Place fig half in the center of 1 pastry strip. Brush 1 end of pastry with egg wash and roll to enclose. Transfer seam side down to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining cheese, figs, and pastry. Brush top of each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, if using. Bake pastries, rotating and switching sheets top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown and puffed, 15-18 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Figs can be cooked 2 days ahead; cover and chill.

THYME AND FIG GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cheese, sour cream, honey and thyme until smooth; stir in figs and almonds. Sprinkle with additional thyme if desired. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with crackers, baguette slices or vegetables.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Toast the bread in a toaster and while it is still warm, spread the fig spread on each slice to cover it entirely. Place the cheese in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until it's creamy and spreadable. Spread a layer of the cheese on the fig spread, leaving the edges of the fig spread visible. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cut each toast crosswise to make appetizers that will be easy to eat. Place a fig slice on each piece, top with a few microgreens, and drizzle lightly with the balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• In a small skillet, combine the vinegar and olive oil and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, then add the sliced figs. Simmer until the vinegar is reduced and syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes more. In a small bowl, stir together the goat and mascarpone cheeses. Spoon the cheese mixture into the pastry shells, top with a drizzle of honey, a sliced fig, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Chop up the dried apricots and set on the side of the pastry shells on the plate.

FIG & GOAT CHEESE NESTS

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 400°.
• In large bowl, combine hash brown, beaten egg, salt and pepper. Stir until potatoes are well coated with egg.
• Spray (2) 24 mini muffin pans with non-stick spray. Spoon in approximately 1 teaspoon of hash brown mixture into each muffin cup, gently pressing bottom and up the sides of cup. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until browned and they start to pull away from muffin cups. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
• In sauté pan, cook diced bacon until lightly crisped. Remove bacon and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
• In same sauté pan, add chopped spinach to bacon fat and sauté over med. high heat until spinach is wilted. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Begin to assemble nests by adding ¼ tsp fig preserves in bottom of hash brown nest. Next top with approximately ¼ tsp of cooked spinach, then ¼ teaspoons goat cheese. Top goat cheese with another ¼ tsp of fig preserves and sprinkle a little bacon on top. Continue layering process to each hash brown nest.
• Place on baking sheet and return to preheated 400° oven for 2-3 minutes or just until hot. Remove from pan and serve.

ELEGANT FIG APPETIZERS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven broiler for high heat.
• Place the fig halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Top each half with about 1/2 teaspoon goat cheese. Place one almond on each, press to push the cheese slightly into each fig.
• Broil the figs in the preheated oven until the cheese is soft and the almonds are turning a rich shade of brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes. Arrange the figs on a serving platter and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

FIGS WITH GOAT'S CHEESE, PISTACHIOS & HONEY

Steps:

• Arrange the figs on a tray, cut-side up. Slice the goat's cheese into eight rounds, then cut each round in half.
• Gently push the goat's cheese pieces into the cut sides of the figs, then season with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with the honey and scatter with the pistachios and thyme.