Replacing fresh figs with dried figs in appetizer

Hi all:

One of the best things I made last year was a recipe I got from MAG that she had posted a picture of a while ago - goat cheese marinated in olive oil, thyme, rosemary and lavender and surrounded by fresh figs. It's lovely and simple and people fall all over it. I wanted to make this for a New Year's Eve party and I haven't seen fresh figs this time of year because they are out of season, I'm sure. Do you think it would still work with dried figs? Would the absorb the olive oil in a bad way? The figs are added just before serving, not marinated with the goat cheese. Thank you as always for your wisdom.

Sounds delicious.

Actually, I have seen fresh figs at some of the grocery stores - Valli's and Garden Fresh come to mind. Pricey, but if you don't need too many it may not be a huge factor.

Regarding the dried figs - they would certainly be texturally different. I would soak them in some kind of liquid (maybe just warm water) to soften them before adding them to the olive oil.

Jyoti

I have a fresh fig appetizer that I serve (roasted, stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in prosciutto). I have found that this particular recipe does quite well if i reconstitute the figs in a liquid of one part port to 10 parts water for winter parties.

Although peak availability for figs is July-Sept, there are some available at other times of the year. I'd check Whole Foods or Fox and Obel. In the meantime, reconstituting dry figs in some form of liquid would be fine. I'd use warm water as mentioned or Port. Or another fruit that is ripe and in season that you think would pair well. I'd suggest something, but half the fun is you deciding/seeing what would work. Once again, in cooking, a recipe is not a contract and may be used as a guideline or a jumping off point for the adventurous. That's where the art comes in. In baking, not so much, that's where the science comes in.

As of about an hour ago, Bari has figs at the checkout priced at 2 for a dollar.

fresh figs, rosemary, honey, black pepper, lavender

Agreed... different but still delicious, I'm sure.

If I'm doing it, though, rather than just reconstituting the figs, I simmer them gently (as mentioned above, in port, whatever). Serving warm with a cold marinated goat cheese might even be a nice temperature contrast.

Whole Foods on Huron has small containers of loose figs for $4.99. Looks like about 10-12 per container.

Today there were big beautiful fresh figs at Produce World, NW corner of Dempster and Waukegan Road, Morton Grove.

Happy holidays to all! Good eating, everyone and may all your recipes turn out wonderfully.

--Joy

Thanks all as always for a wealth of advice and tips. I may go in search of some fresh figs. Or since I might be serving it twice, I'll do one with fresh or dried figs and one with pears.


Jazzfood - great suggestion about substituting another in season fruit. Pear was really the only thing I could come up with that might replace figs and it might work out nicely. Oranges? Nah. Apples? I'm not feeling it. What other options might there be that I'm not thinking of?

I always think of berries or tropical citrus-fruits as a sub for figs: raspberries might be interesting, or starfruits (which would be pretty) Kumquats, which are in season, might work - but you'd be getting something completely different.

In the food desert project, I discovered that anything dried benefits from a bit of acidity when you're rehydrating it: I use a shot of white wine in my rehydrating mixture, whether it's water or syrup or even port (depending on your port)

The Lincoln Park Whole Foods has fresh figs. I think they were $4.99 or $3.99 a pint - but don't quote me on that.

I bought some for $2.98/pt at Stanley's last week. Liek all things from there - eat within 2 days.