Filled figs with mascarpone, gorgonzola, and pine nuts
1 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ⅓ | cup | Mascarpone |
| 3 | tablespoons | Crumbled gorgonzola |
| ¼ | cup | Pine nuts |
| Lightly toasted and thoroughly cooled | ||
| A dash of salt; (optional) | ||
| 6 | Medium-sized ripe figs 2 inches long | |
| ; about 1 1/2 inch diameter | ||
| A little fresh lemon juice | ||
| A little honey | ||
| Lavender flowers and/or leaves; (optional) | ||
Directions
Brace yourself for a peak sensual experience.
* Use only the ripest, most flavorful figs. If they're out of season, you could substitute another soft-fleshed ripe fruit, like pears, nectarines, apricots, or cherries.
* Mascarpone is a sublimely smooth, slightly sweet Italian cream cheese. If you can't get mascarpone, substitute a high-quality cream cheese. Also, if you can't get gorgonzola, replace it with a good brand of domestic blue cheese.
* Filled Figs are good at room temperature or cold. They'll keep for several days; carefully seal up the whole plate of figs and refrigerate.
Yield: 12 filled fig halves Preparation time: 10 minutes 1) Place the mascarpone in a small bowl and stir to soften. (Be patient--it's a bit sticky.) Slowly stir in the crumbled gorgonzola and 3 tablespoons of the toasted, cooled pine nuts, and mix until it is well blended. Add a dash of salt to taste, if desired.
2) Cut the figs in half lengthwise, so they can retain their lovely shape.
Use your finger or the back of a teaspoon to slightly depress the open center of each fig, then sprinkle the figs with a little lemon juice.
3) Mound a small amount of the cheese mixture in the middle of each open fig, pressing down lightly. Drizzle a little honey over the filling, and place a few extra pine nuts decoratively on top.
4) Arrange the stuffed figs on your favorite small, fancy plate, and scatter some lavender blossoms and/or leaves among the figs. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until serving time.
www.molliekatzen.com 2/99
Recipe by: Adapted from "Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven." Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.