Five-Spice Fig Compote
Florette is a delicate and very creamy bloomy rind goat cheese. I think of it as “goat cheese for beginners”—it’s mild, gooey, perfect on a baguette, and lovely with fruit. I like it with fresh berries, but this time of year I pair it with figs. Fresh figs can easily be turned into a sophisticated condiment that can be dolloped on top of the cheese or spread on bread. I recommend serving the compote on a cheese plate with the Florette, toasted nuts, and slices of tart green apple.
Ingredients
- 4 fresh figs
- ½ cup port
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons orange marmalade
- Chinese five-spice powder to taste
Instructions
- Trim the stem and cut each fig into about 4-6 chunks.
- In a medium non-stick skillet, add the port, honey, and orange marmalade. Simmer until the honey and marmalade dissolve and the mixture begins to reduce. Add the figs and simmer; the figs will give off liquid. Continue cooking until the liquid forms a thick syrup.
- Transfer to a bowl and, when cooled, slightly stir in Chinese five-spice powder to taste—start with just a tiny pinch.
Amy Sherman
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco–based cookbook author, food writer, and recipe developer. She launched her blog, Cooking with Amy, in June of 2003, and not long after it was chosen one of the top five food blogs by Forbes and singled out by The Guardian as a top food blog. Over 4 million visits later, Amy continues to offer original recipes, reviews, commentary, news, and culinary travel information.
Goat Cheeses of France
Goat Cheeses of France is the official US campaign for spreading the word on the over 3,000 goat cheese producers and about 60 dairy companies responsible for the exceptional quality, shapes, textures, and tastes of the Original Chèvre.
