This week’s recipes serve double duty. They are dairy-based to help celebrate Shavuot, but they would also be right at home at a Mother’s Day brunch.
Shavuot, which starts the night of Tuesday, May 14, commemorates the giving of the Torah. Dairy foods are traditional for a number of reasons, including the teaching that once the Jews received the laws at Mount Sinai containing the rules of kashrut, their cooking vessels and meats were rendered unusable because they were not considered kosher.
A more poetical reason can be found in the Song of Songs where Torah is compared to the taste of “milk and honey.” It is also a celebration of the “first fruits,” including figs.
The stuffed fig recipe combines dairy, honey and the fruit for an easy appetizer or dessert for either Shavuot or Mother’s Day (this Sunday, May 12).
The Blue Cheese–Yogurt Puffs make an impressive first course for a Shavuot dinner or a light brunch entrée for Mother’s Day. Serve the tangy baked custards with the balsamic-onion mixture or try topping with warmed fig jam instead.
Blue Cheese–Yogurt Puffs
Serves 6
oil
24 oz. plain, unflavored Greek yogurt (not reduced-fat or nonfat yogurt)
1⁄4 lb. blue cheese, room temperature
4 eggs, beaten
1⁄4 tsp. paprika
1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper
1⁄8 tsp. salt
1 recipe balsamic-onion topping, warm or at room temperature (see below)
mixed greens or lightly dressed green salad for serving, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the bottoms and sides of six 6-oz. ramekins or straight-sided, oven-safe, glass custard cups. Put yogurt into a large bowl. Cut blue cheese into very small chunks and mix with yogurt. Add eggs, paprika, pepper and salt and mix well. Pour into ramekins.
Put ramekins on baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes and turn off the heat. Let sit in oven with door closed 5 minutes. Puffs will have risen soufflé-like.
Remove and serve immediately in ramekins topped with balsamic-onion mixture. If desired, let cool slightly (puffs will deflate a bit) and carefully (ramekins will be hot) invert each puff over a small plate covered with mixed greens or salad. (If puff doesn’t slide out, loosen by inserting the tip of a sharp knife along the side of the puff.) Top with balsamic-onion mixture.
Balsamic-onion topping: Cut 1 medium red onion in half vertically and lay flat on cutting board. Slice paper-thin. Heat 1 Tbs. butter and 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pan. Add onions, toss to coat. Stir in 1⁄8 tsp. salt and 1⁄8 tsp. ground black pepper. Sauté, stirring often, about 25 minutes until onions start to break down and are very soft and browned. Add 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar, stir and cook until vinegar is syrupy and thick. Serve atop Blue Cheese-Yogurt Puffs.
Give a (Stuffed) Fig
Makes about 20
20 dried black mission figs (approx., see note below)
1⁄4 lb. soft goat cheese, room temperature
3-4 Tbs. honey or agave nectar
minced zest of 1 small lemon
1⁄2 cup chopped pistachios, plus extra for garnish
Snip off the tough bit at the end of the fig’s stem. Butterfly the fig by slicing almost but not all the way through the fig vertically from just below the stem end to the base.
Mash goat cheese, honey and zest together. Add nuts and mix well. Stuff each fig with approximately 1 tsp. of the cheese. Garnish with additional pistachios.
Note: Number of figs will depend on size of figs and amount of filling used for each.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Louise Fiszer. She blogs at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].