This is Fig-Tastic!
An appetizer often found at holiday gatherings, some variation of figs on brie is a dish that tasted like the inside of a fig newton was scraped out spread atop a wheel of brie cheese, served with some kind of crackers. It’s typically sickeningly sweet, often a bit mushy, and somewhat tart. After trying various quantities of the general ingredients, I FINALLY figured it out, and we both think this version is absolutely FIG-TASTIC!
It starts with 10-12 dried figs in a jar with about 1/2c water to rehydrate for a few hours, and since you need some water in the recipe, using the water the figs soaked in boosts the flavor 10 fold. With walnuts and almonds chopped but not too finely, what you finish with is a thick, chunky, mildly gooey, topping that balances sweet and savory in a way I’ve never tasted in dishes like this. Good balsamic vinegar adds a depth to the sweetness that isn’t overpowering, and we have tried it on various cheeses, on top vanilla ice cream, with baked chicken breasts, and more. It pairs surprisingly well with brie cheese as well as gorgonzola, and delicious served warmed or cold. It stands alone and a small spoonful is a perfect desert item. Also delicious as a ‘jam’ of sorts spread onto pieces of thinly sliced toasted baguette. The fig topping, by itself is vegan and gluten-free.
You could take a baguette sliced in half, lightly toasted or warmed, add baked or bbq chicken breast (whole, tenders, or even shredded), brie cheese, and a couple spoonfulls of this, lightly broiled, and add some arugula and make one outstanding sandwich that works hot or cold.
It’s incredibly versatile and tastes like something from a 5-star fancy restaurant, yet it’s a quick and easy dish made with every day ingredients to be enjoyed any time of year. The next experiment I have on my radar with this dish is doing it with coconut sugar and a little more fig water. Stay tuned for future fig-tastic updates from the Earthly Abundance kitchen!
Ingredients
10-12 dried figs
1/2c water
1/2c brown sugar
2T of the fig water
2T balsamic vinegar
1/2t vanilla
1/4c walnut pieces
1/4c almond pieces
Directions
Soak figs in water for a few hours in an old jar with a lid. Save 2T of the fig water.
Chop figs into smaller chunks
Melt brown sugar in 2T fig water and 2T balsamic vinegar in a saucepan on low heat, stirring often.
Add chopped figs and vanilla
Cook approximately 7-8 minutes on low-medium heat, continuing to stir often.
Add chopped nuts and cook another 2-3 minutes
At this point, either spoon onto brie cheese in a baking dish and bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is warmed and softened, or let the mixture cool, and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.