Figs are often used in appetizers with cream cheese, honey or cream-based dressings, and meat such as shrimp, chicken, or bacon. Some recipes also use sweeteners like honey or maple syrup and herbs and spices like tarragon and garlic.
Figs are often used in appetizer recipes to add a natural sweetness and chewy texture, and are often combined with other sweet and savory food items. Common fig appetizers pair the dried fruit with a cream cheese, such as goat cheese, as well as various honey- or cream-based dressings or sauces. It’s not uncommon for fig appetizers to contain a certain type of meat, such as shrimp, chicken or bacon, and boiled eggs. Most fig appetizers try to emphasize the fruit’s sweetness by adding honey or maple syrup to sauces and dressings, as well as sweet herbs like tarragon and rosemary.
A simple dried fig appetizer, somewhat similar in texture to apricots or dates, often contains a type of cream cheese that is placed inside the fruit. A cheese, called chevre, is made from goat’s milk and is not only placed inside the dried fruit itself, but around the base of the fruit to be used for dipping. This simple fig appetizer is sometimes baked or broiled for a hot appetizer, blending sweet and savory flavors. Fresh cracked pepper is usually sprinkled on top of the cheese to add more complexity to the overall taste.
Some recipes using dried figs call for not only cheese to serve as the filling, but also various types of meat and seafood. Placing bacon in the cheese filling is common in some fig appetizers, using bits of ground bacon rather than a whole slice. Hard-boiled eggs are sometimes diced or mashed and placed inside each fig, as is diced ham or chicken. Baking figs along with shrimp or crab meat or serving grilled figs with shrimp or crap sauce is also common in many appetizers using dried figs.
To play up the sweetness of the figs, many appetizer recipes use a sauce to cook the figs, usually with honey or maple syrup. These sweeteners can also be combined with cream or oil, and dishes can include herbs and spices to help develop a more complex flavor. Fig appetizers could use sweet-tasting herbs like tarragon and rosemary as well as hotter herbs and spices, like garlic and ground ginger. Some fig appetizers include sweet and savory dipping sauces made from these ingredients, rather than using them as a condiment before cooking.
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