My two new favorite foods = Fig & Olive Spread and Spicy Bread & Butter Pickles. I discovered these delectable delights, last weekend, at the Jimtown Store in Healdsburg, Ca. It's a quaint general store /gourmet sandwich shop in the midst of Sonoma County's beautiful vineyards. Like something out of the Andy Griffith Show, it's a nice respite from the hustle of San Francisco.
Every sandwich on the menu features simple, yet rich ingredients. I chose the Jimtown Sandwich, of course, which consists of prosciutto, blue cheese, and the infamous Jimtown Fig & Olive Spread. It was served with spicy bread and butter pickles and a glass of white wine. I wound up buying an entire container of the pickles and ate the flaming fermented cucumbers in two sittings. In fact, in the middle of writing this blog, I went to Amazon and bought the Jimtown Cookbook.
(Recipe for Fig and Olive Spread after the jump!)
(Recipe for Fig and Olive Spread after the jump!)
Fig and Black Olive Spread (1 cup)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) stemmed & quartered, dried Black Mission figs
3/4 cups water
1 cup black olives; Nicoise, Lyon, or Greek, rinsed and pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
black pepper and salt, if necessary
Steps:
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.
2. If using a food processor, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you’ve achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Season with black pepper and salt, if necessary. (The spread can be thinned with a bit of the reserved fig poaching liquid.)
3. Allowing it to sit for at least a few hours (if not overnight) helps the flavors meld.
4. Serve. Serving suggestions: smear on French bread toasted with a little olive oil, or with meats like Prosciutto or salami and mild creamy cheese, or on a sandwich/grilled cheese, or with your favorite grilled meats.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) stemmed & quartered, dried Black Mission figs
3/4 cups water
1 cup black olives; Nicoise, Lyon, or Greek, rinsed and pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
black pepper and salt, if necessary
Steps:
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.
2. If using a food processor, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you’ve achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Season with black pepper and salt, if necessary. (The spread can be thinned with a bit of the reserved fig poaching liquid.)
3. Allowing it to sit for at least a few hours (if not overnight) helps the flavors meld.
4. Serve. Serving suggestions: smear on French bread toasted with a little olive oil, or with meats like Prosciutto or salami and mild creamy cheese, or on a sandwich/grilled cheese, or with your favorite grilled meats.
Enjoy!
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