Figs, Bacon & Goat Cheese

With Jeff Cala

Jeff Cala of Latitude 43 makes this easy and tasty appetizer using fresh figs and apple smoked bacon. He is a big fan of fresh figs, and makes a cheese mixture using fresh goat cheese, chives, Italian parsley, shallots, kosher salt, heavy whipped cream and garlic. It is beaten until it is fluffy like a “mousse.”

To make take some uncooked applewood smoked bacon, split the fig in half, put the goat cheese mixture in center and gently wrap it. Believe it or not the cheese mixture does not melt even after you put them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve on bed of micro greens, such as baby red leaf lettuce, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, and anything else you can buy. The micro greens will add a lot of flavor to the figs. Add a dab of the cream mixture on top and you have a beautiful and tasty presentation.

Ingredients

For Figs:
6 Black Mission Figs
Goat cheese spread
6 pieces of apple wood smoked bacon

For goat cheese spread:
Half pint heavy whipping cream
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
Fresh chives, chopped
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
shallots, chopped
garlic, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Prepare goat cheese spread by whipping cream until it gets nearly whipped, then slow mixer down and add rest of the ingredients until it reaches the consistency of a mousse.
2. Split figs in half and add goat cheese spread onto the cut half.
3. Take a piece of the bacon and wrap figs with cheese spread.
4. Place on baking sheet and heat in oven about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. While figs are baking you can place an assortment of micro greens (i.e. baby red leaf lettuce, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, etc.) in a bowl and lightly coat with extra virgin olive oil.

Serve figs over the micro green salad.

Recipe courtesy of Jeff Cala, Latitude 43, 2010.

Co-owner and Executive Chef Jeff Cala

Latitude 43 has been open for several years and has separate menus for the main restaurant, the sushi bar and the pub. The menu is seasonal and incorporates local seafood, produce and other ingredients when possible.

Cala's restaurant concepts include Cala's in Manchester, Alchemy in Gloucester, and Hale Street Tavern & Oyster Bar in Beverly Farms — all of which enjoy a local following and nearly automatic consideration when residents of any of those communities think about where they'll go to eat out, either for lunch or dinner or Sunday brunch.