Figs have been a stable of the Greek diet since antiquity. Dried figs are enjoyed throughout the year but fresh ones, like the ones I found at my local farmer's market last Friday, during late summer/autumn months.
Figs are deliciously sweet and uniquely nutritious; a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium, B & K vitamin and they have the highest amount of calcium of any fruit.
I love both dried and fresh and use them a lot in salads, as a sweet or as a special treat with goat cheese or if you prefer Stilton cheese or Danish blue cheese. Here is a yummy, quick & easy2make recipe:
Roasted Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts and Honey or Sweet Wine Reduction or Syrup
Ingredients
2 large fresh figs
50g fresh goat cheese, 2 slices
2 tblsp honey
Pine nuts, to taste
Sweet wine reduction, fruit syrup or honey, to taste
Fresh mint
Preparation Method
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).
Make a crisscross cut into the top of each of the figs and press the sides to open out.
Stuff each fig with a slice of goat cheese and place on a baking sheet or an oven proof dish. Drizzle with honey and cook in pre-heated oven (200C) for a 5 – 7 minutes.
To serve, place figs on a plate and drizzle with a bit more honey, wine reduction or berry syrup. Sprinkle with pine nuts and garnish with fresh mint.
Yield: 2 servings
Tips!
If you have really ripe figs or you just want to roast the cheese a little, then I suggest placing the figs directly under the oven grill for about 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
If you prefer, you may omit the goat cheese and just simply roast the figs in the oven with honey. In this case, I would suggest serving the figs with lemon or cinnamon scented Greek yogurt.
ENJOY!
© KaritasM – August 2017