Fig and Blue Cheese Tart with Honey, Balsamic, and Rosemary
Fresh figs are such a tremendous treat this time of year! The trick with cooking them is simplicity. Don’t overdo it. This tart is basic in technique, but bursting with complex flavor. Enjoy!
1 tbs olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cool
1 lb fresh figs
1 tsp Maldon sea salt or other finishing salt
1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/3 cup firm blue cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bash a few sprigs of rosemary with olive oil in a mortar and pestle or in a sealed zip top bag and a rolling pin. Set aside. Using a bit of flour, roll out your dough until it’s about 1/4-inch thick, trying to preserve the rectangular shape. Stem, halve, and arrange the figs cut-side up on the dough. Using a pastry brush, generously paint the cut-side of each fig half with the rosemary oil. Sprinkle each fig with salt. Drizzle balsamic and the honey all over, making sure each fig gets a little splash. Crumble cheese all over. Drape the bashed and oily rosemary stems anywhere you like on the tart. Bake until crispy, brown, and bubbling (about 25 minutes). If the figs don’t get enough color, cover the edges of dough with tin foil and place tart under the broiler until desired color is reached.
About the Chef
Stephanie Goldfarb is a Chicago-based chef and national food television personality specializing in seasonal, globally-inspired cuisine. Recognized as the winner of Food Network’s America’s Best Cook competition, and a celebrity chef on Kitchen Inferno and NBC’s Food Fighters, Goldfarb delivers unique and relatable culinary experiences to discriminating and casual diners alike. As the owner of the successful Seven Species Supper Club & Catering, she enjoys the challenge of building brand new menus each month that inspire both repeat clients and newcomers, and seeks opportunities to utilize new ingredients, techniques, and approaches in accessible ways.