Baked Figs with Blue Cheese
Ingredients
8 – 10 fresh figs, black misson and/or the smaller white variety
a triangle of blue cheese
olive oil
a couple of turns of the pepper mill black pepper
Method
Figs can be incredible delicate and it is best to eat the figs the day you purchase or pick them. Storing figs in the fridge is not recommended as the cold temperatures can destroy their flavour. Choose a classic blue cheese, rich and creamy with a sweet balanced flavour.
Wash whole figs gently, cut into quarters and place into a glass oven dish, or baking pan. Slice up the blue cheese thinly and spread over the surface of the figs, add a splash of olive oil and a grind of pepper. Gently stir through and add to the warm oven. 150C – 180C oven for about 20 mins- the blue cheese melts and the figs retain their shape and have softened not completely cooked down.
Our Winemaker Jacob’s thoughts on the ‘perfect pairing’
Now I believe this dish works really well with the Young Vine Pinot Meunier because traditionally figs pair very well with other fruits, specifically citrus fruit. Pinot Meunier really expresses primary flavours of blood orange citrus, so that’s a really good pairing. The blue cheese adds a lot of richness to the dish and the Pinot Meunier is naturally an acidic red variety. It just manages to cut through the richness with the acid keeping the pair, quite fresh and vibrant so you get like a rich, sweet, fig and cheese match with good citrus and acidity that creates the perfect pairing.
