Recipe
for :
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Baked
Figs with Parma Ham
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|
 This
recipe comes from Chef Alan Coxon. Alan is a
food entertainer who combines a great sense of fun when
cooking with his vast knowledge of food origins, ingredients
and food history. Alan rose through the ranks from the
four-star Loews Hotel in Monte Carlo to head chef at
Europe's largest four star hotel, and is a winner of
five gold medals for food sculpting. Alan has appeared
in many TV programmes and is currently a chef presenter
on Good Food Live on UK Food.
Alan's
latest book Ready
in Minutes came out last year
and you can find out more about Alan, and his book,
on his biography
page or
on his own web site www.alancoxon.com
Ingredients
12
fresh figs
175g (6oz) Parma ham
225g(8oz) Blue de bresse cheese or Dolcelatte cut
into small cubes or slithers
2 tablsp olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
salt
Dressing:
150ml (1/4 pint) sour cream
juice of ½ small lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tablsp capers drained and roughly chopped
Chive sprigs to serve
Method
- Begin
by trimming the stalks and a thin slice off the base
of the figs.
- Cut
the figs half way down starting at the top end. Turn
each fig a quarter turn and make a second cut.
- Open
the figs gently so that they look like lotus leaves
and place on a baking tray
- Remove
the thin layer of fat from the Parma ham and keep
aside.
- Carefully
cut the remaining Parma ham into very thin slices
- Gently
stuff the ham into the centre of the figs
- Place
a piece of cheese on top of the parma ham and re-close
the fig. Carefully wrap the fat from the Parma ham
around the figs.
- Drizzle
the figs with a little olive oil, season well with
salt and pepper and bake at 200°C for 4 minutes
or until the ham has crisped and the figs are softened
but still holding their shape.
- To
make the dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients
together.
- When
the figs are ready, place them on a warm plate and
drizzle over the dressing.
- Decorate
with chives and serve.
Chef
Alan Coxon
www.alancoxon.com
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