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Figs

Roasted Fig, Prosciutto, Ricotta French Bread Pizza

by 42 Comments

Figs.  Dude.  They’re totally my downfall.

 

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Y’all, I really don’t know what in tarnation comes over me at the Teeter when I see the figs.  I turn into some kind of a crazy person and have to scoop up every box in the cooler – and there are usually only about 4 or 5 boxes.  I just have this compulsion to hoard them all to myself.  NO FIGS FOR ANYONE ELSE!

 

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I then realize the extent of my craziness, the error of my ways, and attempt to hide boxes of figs all over the place.  They’re in the produce drawer of the fridge, hidden behind the OJ on the top shelf, and my worst offense – the crisper drawers in the garage beer fridge.  I have not stooped so low (yet) to store them in the kegerator, but give me time, friends.  Give me time.

 

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I always get busted.  Chris will start looking for something to pack for lunch or decide he needs a beer and piles of figs start falling like rain.  Or like skeletons from my closet.

 

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Then he’s all, “WTF are you going to do with all these figs, chick?”  Or “Lucy, you have some ‘splainin’ to do!”  Either way I’ve got to do some quick thinking.

 

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Ummmm….. I totally plan to make you something AWESOME!

 

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Yeah, that’s it.  Because I always have a plan.

 

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Roasted Fig, Prosciutto, and Ricotta French Bread Pizza

Ingredients

  • 8 Figs top with stem sliced off and halved lengthwise
  • Juice of 1 small or 1/2 of a large orange
  • 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 inch loaf French bread cut in half then sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
  • 12 thin slices of prosciutto
  • 1 cup arugula

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Arrange fig halves in a baking dish, cut side up
  3. Drizzle the juice from the orange over the figs and lay the thyme sprigs on top
  4. Roast the figs for about 15 minutes
  5. Remove figs from oven and set aside
  6. Reduce oven temp to 375
  7. While the figs are roasting caramelize the onions
  8. Melt the butter and olivie oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat
  9. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat with the butter and olive oil, cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, caramelized, and brown in color, 20-30 minutes - be careful not to burn them
  10. Arrange the 4 pieces of bread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cut side up
  11. Divide the ricotta evenly between the 4 pieces of bread, spreading it evenly over each one
  12. Add 3 pieces of prosciutto to each of the pieces of bread
  13. Top each with 4 fig halves, then evenly divide the caramelized onions over the figs
  14. Bake 7-9 minutes
  15. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula prior to serving

 

Fig Peach Bourbon Bacon Jam

by 30 Comments

Yo!  This business is totally my jam!

 

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Bourbon, peaches, figs, and bacon?  Um….. YES PLEASE!

 

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I’ve missed my old friends of a party of peaches, bacon, figs, and bourbon.  Where have you been my lovelies?  You know how it is when you get together with a friend you think about a lot and missed for a while?  We did that.  Me and Lauren. We totally went out for drinks and had a bunch of catching up to do.

 

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Lauren has absolutely nothing to do with baccon, peaches, or bacon jam – but maybe something to do with bourbon or booze….

But like these old friends, girl, I heart you!

P.S. I’m so glad we sort of got everything up to speed.  I’ll forgive you for leaving me so lonely because you totally had a baby, but I missed you and I’m glad you’re back in my life!

 

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Fig Peach Bourbon Bacon Jam

Ingredients

  • 22 ounces bacon cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 shallots thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 figs cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3 peaches pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/3 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add half the bacon and cook until brown, remove and drain on paper towel
  2. Carefully drain the grease out of the pan
  3. Repeat with the rest of the bacon but reserve at least 2 tablespoons of bacon grease
  4. Add shallots, garlic, figs, and peaches to the bacon grease pan and cook until onions are translucent - about 5 minutes
  5. Add chili powder, ginger, and mustard and cook another 1-2 minutes
  6. Add bourbon and maple syrup and increase the heat to medium high, scrape up any brown bits and bring to a boil
  7. Add vinegar and brown sugar and bring to a boil again
  8. Add reserved bacon back to the pan
  9. Reduce heat to low and cook until liquid looks like a thick glaze - about 10-15 minutes
  10. Remove from heat, cool until warm, and transfer to a food processor
  11. Pulse mixture several times until it resembles a chunky jam or reaches a texture according to personal preferences

Adapted from Martha

Brown Ale Bread Stuffed with Bacon, Gorgonzola, and Figs

by 41 Comments

I crashed my bike.  Twice.  On. The. Same. Day.  No joke.  I mean I totally crashed and fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs  and landed under my bike.  All I can say is – thank goodness I was wearing a helmet or we might not be having this little chat.

 

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Saturday was gorgeous here in Charlotte, so we decided to ride our bikes to the park up the street and check out the trails.  Now, I’m not the most coordinated person on the planet.  In fact, I’m quite clumsy and highly accident prone. But there’s probably a reason for the phrase “just like riding a bike.”  Am I right?

 

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I mean, seriously – little kids do it every single day!

 

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The first face plant was on the corner of a busy intersection.  You know that feeling when you know you’re going down, you can see it happening kind of in slow motion, and there isn’t a darn thing you can do about it?  Yeah.  That happened. I’m not sure which is worse – the fall, the landing, the multitude of witnesses, or the fact that I was almost at a complete stop and somehow managed to crash my bike.  People were probably wondering what in tarnation that crazy woman was doing. Fortunately, I think it happened fast enough that it isn’t likely anyone was able to take a video, so I don’t anticipate it going viral on YouTube or appearing on America’s Funniest Videos.

 

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One crash wasn’t enough, so the second time we were on a bike trail in the woods.  I crashed and landed in the bushes.  At least only the wildlife saw that ridiculousness.  Chris was ahead of me so he didn’t see it either.  He came back when he heard all the foul language coming from the bushes.

 

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I finally made it home in one piece and immediately drowned my humiliation and celebrated the fact that I was alive with an appropriate choice of beer – Ballast Point Victory at Sea.

 

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Speaking of beer (I didn’t have any before the bike ride) I’ve been putting it in everything lately.  This bread was made with Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Brown Ale.  I really wanted a honey brown, but we didn’t have any and this was the best option at Publix.  I just added honey to the recipe.

 

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This recipe makes two loaves, so I left one a simple brown ale bread and stuffed the heck out of the other one with bacon, gorgonzola, and figs.  I drizzled the top of the plain one with honey to make him feel a little more special.

 

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While I was lying on the ground in a pool of humiliation, Chris said, “Damn chick, didn’t you ride a bike when you were a kid?”

 

“Yeah, that’s how I got that scar on my knee.”

 

Update: Chris said this is me: Top Gear

 

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Brown Ale Bread Stuffed with Bacon, Gorgonzola, and Figs

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter plus another 1-2 tablespoons for coating the bowl and pans
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 packets rapid rise active dry yeast
  • 1 cup brown ale or honey brown ale
  • 3 tablespoons honey 1-2 more if you want to drizzle it on top prior to baking
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 7-8 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles
  • 2-3 pieces of cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 3-4 dried figs diced

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter on low until butter is melted, remove from heat and let cool until warm to touch but not hot.
  2. Slowly stir yeast into warm water and set aside for about 5 minutes
  3. Combine brown ale and honey, heat in microwave until warm, 45 to 60 seconds - you don't want it hot, just warm
  4. Pour beer/honey mixture, butter/milk mixture, salt and yeast/water into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook
  5. Set mixer on medium speed and add flour 1 cup at a time until dough is formed and it isn't super sticky - you can turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a bit to finish
  6. Grease a large bowl with butter, add the dough ball, flip it to get butter on both sides, clover with a clean linen kitchen towel and set it in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour and doubled in size
  7. Punch down an turn onto a lightly floured counter
  8. Divide dough in half
  9. Knead one while continuously adding bacon, figs, and gorgonzola alternately - about 5-7 minutes until all the air bubbles pop
  10. Knead the plain loaf about 5-7 minutes, until you feel all the air bubbles pop
  11. Grease two round cake pans with butter, add one dough ball to each pan flip it to coat both sides, cover with the kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - about 30 minutes
  12. Preheat oven to 375
  13. Drizzle plain loaf with honey if desired
  14. Garnish the stuffed loaf with gorgonzola, figs, and bacon pieces, if desired
  15. Bake 45 - 55 minutes, until golden brown and crusty
  16. Cool on a wire rack

 

Adapted from About.com

Inspired by The Beeroness