It Fig-ures

So, we probably all thought that at some point I'd forget to keep posting to the blog, but props to all of you who thought it would happen sooner rather than later because you were right.  But tonight (Eureka!), I remembered that I had multiple things I needed to post; in fact, Anne and I both do.  While we were away, we took our first culinary excursion together to a little place called Lynchburg, TN, toured the Jack Daniels distillery, and ate at the delicious Miss Bobo's Boarding House.  Sadly, this post isn't about that experience at all; you will have to wait for that one.  Meanwhile, I thought I'd tide you over with a recipe that I recently made for the first time, but will be making again and again.  Near the beginning of school I went on a lovely hike in the Great Smoky Mountains with friends, and, since we were waking up before anyone could possibly find it proper on a Saturday morning, I brought along a few slices of tart to express my gratitude for people putting up with my grumpitude.  This is that recipe, and, dare I say, it received rave reviews from others, too.  I apologize for not having substantial pictures of the process this time, but I only remembered to photograph it when it was done.

Recipe:  Fig Tart with Blue Cornmeal Crust

First, you'll want to make the crust.  Finely chop about 1.5 Tbsp. of rosemary.  I don't recommend using dried rosemary for this; fresh works far better.  Then, combine the rosemary, 1.5 c. AP flour, .5 c. blue cornmeal, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and .25 tsp. salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  (You can obviously incorporate these together in a mixing bowl with a whisk or spoon, but the food processor makes the subsequent process of cutting in butter much easier; if you have a pastry cutter, you can always go about it in that way, though.)  Add a stick of cold butter (cut into cubes) to the food processor and pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs (with approximately chickpea-sized pieces of butter still visible).  Slowly add about 4 Tbsp. of water to the food processor, pulsing gently between the addition of each Tbsp., until the dough will hold its shape when squeezed gently by hand.  This dough will not (and should not) ball up like some other doughs.  If it isn't quite holding together when squeezed, add more water in half Tbsp. increments until it will hold together.  Once the dough has reached the right consistency, press it evenly onto the bottom and sides of a greased tart pan.  Chill the dough for at least thirty minutes to prevent the crust from shrinking during baking.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.  Once the dough is chilled and the oven is preheated, blind bake the crust for 25-30 minutes until the center and edges are browned.  Cool the crust completely by placing the tart pan on a wire rack.

Now it's time to make the filling.  In a large bowl, whisk together 1/3 c. Greek yogurt and 8 oz. softened mascarpone cheese until well combined.  Then whisk in 1/4 c. sugar, 1.5 tsp. lemon (or other citrus) zest, and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Use a small offset spatula to spread this filling evenly into the cooled crust.  Thinly slice fresh figs (about 1.5# of fruit) and arrange the slices on top of the filling.  (You could also quarter the figs and place them upright on the tart for a more rustic, 3-d effect.)  Finally, gently heat 1 Tbsp. honey and 2 Tbsp. jam (any flavor, though fig or apricot would probably work best) until the jam melts (a few minutes over medium heat).  Because I was using a jam with a flavor that I wanted to mask somewhat (strawberry), I used an aged honey with a deep flavor that I had acquired at a local farmer's market; if you can get your hands on aged honey, I highly recommend it in this recipe.  Brush the figs with the glaze to help preserve their flavor and color.  Take a picture and enjoy!

The Fan-figgin'-tastic Final Product

 

While this tart would make an excellent dessert, the rosemary and cornmeal give it a slightly savory flavor that might make it appropriate for breakfast or brunch as well.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did; please comment below and let me know what you think if you do try it out.  Hopefully, I won't stay away as long before I post again; unfortunately, though, I can't make promises when I'm knee-deep in mid-semester essays.

 

-John