Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Goat Cheese
The following recipe and photography were provided courtesy of local cookbook author and chef, Carla Snyder.
Traditional tapenade is a Provencal spread made of olives, herbs, and garlic, but in this iteration, I gave it a California twist with the addition of dried figs. One of my holiday favorites, this dish offers a great contrast in flavors (sweet figs, salty olives, tart vinegar, bitter nuts, and rich cheese) for a real party in your mouth.
Calimyrna figs are golden brown and usually come in a round or log-shaped pack. They are larger than Mission figs and must be stemmed and chopped before using them. I usually have both types in my pantry and use them constantly over the winter adding them to salads, stews, sprinkled over pizza or whenever I want to add sweetness and texture.
Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Goat Cheese
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried Calimyrna or Mission figs, stems removed and chopped
- 1/3 cup port wine
- 1/2 cup Heinen's Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 Tbsp. Heinen's extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. Heinen's balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Heinen's capers, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
- 2 tsp. Italian parsley, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Two 4-oz. logs goat cheese, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
- 1/2 cup, Heinen's walnuts, toasted and chopped
- Crackers
Instructions
- Combine the figs and port wine in a medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the liquid evaporates and the figs are soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium-size bowl to cool.
- To the bowl, add the olives, olive oil, vinegar, capers, thyme, and parsley. Season the tapenade to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- On a large platter, arrange overlapping cheese rounds in the center of the plate. It may be crumbly when slicing, but that is okay. Let the cheese warm up for 15 minutes if cold and spoon the tapenade over the top.
- Garnish with the toasted walnuts. Serve with crackers.
Note: The tapenade can be made up to 3 days ahead covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before spooning over cheese and serving.
