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.