FOOD and WINE | Baked Figs wrapped in Parma Ham with Gorgonzola | Red Serpent Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

 

 

Baked Figs wrapped in Parma Ham with Gorgonzola Sauce

This dish combines almost everything I love in a dish! Seasonality, quality of produce, flavours – textures –  aromas and simplicity. Figs (French) are in season now.

This pear-shaped fruit has a thin, edible skin that ranges in colour from pale green to dark purple, or even black, when fully ripe. The soft, sweet flesh is filled with tiny edible seeds and is generally a purple-red colour. So delicious in flavour and texture.  Wrapping them in Prosciutto di Parma (Parma Ham) turns them into little flavour bombs. Combining with the strong aromas of Gorgonzola cheese turns this dish into one of my all times favourites. It is easy to prepare and I promise you  will love this one.

 

Best to serve with a Glass of Red Serpent Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Coonawarra, South Australia. Lovely colours, slightly peppery nose, smooth and velvety with a rounded and rich ending.

Coonawarra Vignerons is the Red wine centre of Australia https://coonawarra.org/ and  is the home of Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

NOTE: another delicious way to eat figs is fresh (sliced into small wedges) with Stilton or Gorgonzola cheese and truffled honey with some slices of sour dough bread.

Please find below my recipe with step-by step instructions.

 RECIPE:

Quantity  PORT: 4

Preparation time:  10 minutes | Cooking time:  15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

QUANTITY       UNIT         PRODUCE

12                     PC            Figs French, fresh (ripe)

12                     PC            Parma ham thinly sliced (each slice approximately 30 gr)

20                     ML            Olive oil cooking

250                   ML            Cream cooking (thickened)

50                     GR            Gorgonzola cheese

10                     GR            Parsley flat, finerly chopped

As needed          Sea salt flakes (Maldon)

As needed          Black pepper from the pepper mill

 

MISE EN PLACE | PREPARATION:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C
2. Wash figs under running water, dry off well with kitchen paper
3. Cut off / trim the stem of the figs
4. With a toothpick make small incisions (poking) into the figs
5. Wrap Parma ham around the figs (make a small and tight parcel
6. Place fig – Parma ham parcels on an oiled (olive oil) baking tray and bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes
7. Pour thickened cooking cream into a sauce pan, bring to the boiling point
8. Add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, whisk well till smooth and do not boil anymore.
9. Add chopped flat parsley and season (as required)
10. Place drained off Fig – Parma ham parcel into a deep round plate (3 pieces per person)
11. Cover with creamy gorgonzola sauce and serve straight away. 

 

 

 

REMARKS | COMMENTS | SUGGESTIONS: 

1. Goes well with a glass of Red Serpent Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

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Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

Chef and Guide Dog User Martin