(*Reader Recipe)
The other day I was talking to someone on the phone and I couldn’t hear very well because she was eating. “Sorry,” she said, “for chewing in your ear.” If she was sorry, why didn’t she stop downing that popcorn? Just one of those little mysteries of life….
Back to the realities of life: You might think there was a fig theme going on at The Third U-C Dinner, what with Kim’s Roasted Chicken with Fresh Figs and Kalamata Olives and this gorgeous tart, but it was actually just a fluke–a tasty one at that. A few days before the dinner my friend Daryn and I had a working birthday lunch (hers, not mine…thank God), and she asked what I was making. I described the Ratatouille and Sausage Potpie with Cornbread Biscuits from Melissa Clark’s NYT column that day. She went home , checked it out and decided to make another of Clark’s recipes from the same article. You might take away this tip: If you like to cook, don’t miss Melissa Clark on Wednesdays in the NYT.
Serves 8
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions (1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 sprig rosemary, more for garnish
Pinch sugar
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Flour for dusting
3/4 pound prepared puff pastry
1 pint fresh figs ( 3/4 pound), stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 1/2 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Good-quality honey for drizzling, optional
1. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions, rosemary and sugar. Cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. Stir in the onions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet.
3. Use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry (let excess egg mixture drip back into bowl), leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. Use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. Gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.
4. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with rosemary needles and drizzled with honey, if desired, warm or at room temperature.
That looks wonderful! I do think it’s funny she apologized, rather than simply stopping eating her popcorn!
Dallas Jean will return after Halloween week…meanwhile, there will be other fabulous tales! Spooky tales with happy endings!
By: Blond Duck on October 26, 2009
at 11:42 am
Nice, that looks amazing. I’ve never cooked with fresh figs before, I should try it out.
By: Bob on October 26, 2009
at 1:06 pm
She must really have been hungry! Maybe she hadn’t eaten all day. That is a very tasty looking tart!
By: Palidor on October 26, 2009
at 1:08 pm
This looks so good! I love fresh figs and Stilton but they never appear in the market here. I need to find a good mail order source for figs!
By: Phoo-D on October 26, 2009
at 1:11 pm
Oh my does this look delicious! I love that combo! Thanks for sharing
By: gonnawantseconds on October 26, 2009
at 1:29 pm
Wow, the tart sounds fantastic! Love the stilton here to pair with figs!
By: Natasha - 5 Star Foodie on October 26, 2009
at 4:12 pm
And the recipes keep coming!
I like the combination of sweet and savory in this one as well as that flaky crust!
By: Monica H on October 26, 2009
at 9:23 pm
You really do make the best things. I hope your daughter enjoyed the story!
By: Blond Duck on October 27, 2009
at 10:30 am
Miammmm, can’t believe this two combine together, rosemary and fig. Hmmm, sounds delightful.
By: elra on October 27, 2009
at 2:43 pm
I love figs used in savory dishes, this looks delicious!
By: zoe on October 27, 2009
at 4:52 pm
This sounds like a fantastic combination. Figs, the cheese the rosemary, puff pastry,, oh yes!
By: donna on October 27, 2009
at 5:00 pm
I love figs and this look amazing! gloria
By: Gloria on October 27, 2009
at 5:24 pm
I love this, it’s one of the only ways I’ll eat figs.
By: noble pig on October 28, 2009
at 5:32 am
I’ve never even had figs before except in a fig newton! This looks amazing!
By: Jenn@slim-shoppin on October 28, 2009
at 8:27 am
This is a great savory tart. Love the addition of the rosemary and pine nuts. Great combinations in this.
By: RobinSue on October 28, 2009
at 9:58 am
Your tart looks amazing…figs and pine nuts, what a nice combination of flavors…yummie!
By: Juliana on October 29, 2009
at 6:05 am
I loved that delicious tart.
Jenn– you’ve never had fresh figs before?! You really do need to start living – lol!
Eating soft, sweet, ripe fresh figs is truly one of the great pleasures in life.
By: Pauline on October 31, 2009
at 11:34 am