Ham Manchego And Fig Tartines Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the figs: Combine the wine, 1 cup water, the cloves, allspice and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the figs in a large bowl and let soak at room temperature, 1 hour. (The figs can be prepared up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container.)
• Meanwhile, make the crema: Combine the blue cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk and roasted garlic in a blender; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (The crema can be made up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container.)
• Drain the figs and remove the stems. Carefully wrap each fig with a piece of ham, trimming as necessary. Place small dollops of the crema on a serving platter. Arrange the wrapped figs on the crema and drizzle with the vinegar.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two 18-by-13-inch sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Roll out the puff pastry into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, cut the dough in half horizontally: Measure 7 inches up the side, mark the dough and cut in half, using the mark as a guide.
• Evenly spread the fig jam over the bottom half of the dough, leaving a little room at the edges. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the jam. Top with the other half of the dough, pressing down lightly to adhere to the cheese and jam. With a pizza cutter, cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 24 strips).
• Twist each strip four or five times, then pinch the ends together to prevent unraveling while baking. Place the twists on the prepared baking sheets.
• Mix the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and brush onto the twists. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before releasing the straws from the parchment with an offset spatula. Let cool completely.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Steps:

• Make the crust
• 1. Combine the first nine ingredients in a food processor. Pulse three times to aerate. Add the cold butter and pulse ten times, until the butter is the size of small peas. Add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse. The dough does not need to form a ball. Simply press the dough and see if it comes together. If it seems crumbly, add another tablespoon of ice water.
• 2. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead it a couple of times. Quickly form it into a 6-inch square. Do not handle the dough too much, and don't worry if it isn't a perfect square. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the dough from the refrigerator. It is best to work on a cold surface, such as marble. Dust your surface and your rolling pin with a little bit of superfine brown rice flour. Roll the dough to a rectangle that is approximately 7 by 10 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Again, it doesn't have to be perfect. Work quickly so the dough doesn't become too soft. If it cracks, pinch it back together.
• 4. Transfer the rolled dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Trim the edges with a pie cutter if desired. Chill the dough for 20 minutes or until firm.
• 5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool while preparing the topping (leave the oven on). I recommend arranging the topping while the crust is slightly warm, as the warmth brings out all the flavors.
• Prepare the topping
• 1. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden and the skin begins to loosen. Transfer them to a kitchen towel and rub them together to remove their skins. Let them cool. Coarsely chop them.
• 2. Place the goat cheese in a bowl and quickly stir it to loosen it. Spread over the warm tart.
• 3. Arrange the figs, ham, watercress, red onion, and toasted hazelnuts over the goat cheese. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan over a high heat or heat the grill to high. Drizzle each side of the bread with a little olive oil, then toast in the pan or under the grill for 2 mins on each side until golden brown.
• Spread the fig chutney over the toasted bread. Tear or chop the burrata into chunky pieces and arrange these on the toast, create little nests of prosciutto on top, then add the fig pieces. Sprinkle with the thyme, then drizzle with more olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, pulse half the Gruyere cheese and all the cream cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a small mixing bowl. Fold in the thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Place bread on a baking sheet, and toast in center of the oven, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both sides, about 12 minutes.
• Spread reserved cheese mixture on each slice of toast, dividing evenly, and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere. Place 2 slices of ham on each toast. Arrange radishes on top, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and season. Arrange on baking trays, then bake for 5 mins until crisp. Cool before spreading over some cheese and topping each tartine with a piece of ham and a fig quarter. Add a little ground black pepper, if you like.
• Serve with a couple of crusty baguettes and some nice French cheeses and meats, arranged on boards and platters with tapenade, cornichons and hard-boiled quails eggs. Add a bowl of salad and Kir Royale to drink (see recipes below).