Recipe for :

This recipe for Sticky Figs and Stilton Crostini comes from Yeo Valley Organic the Cotswolds based soft drinks and sorbets producers.

Yeo Valley Organic is part of a family-owned farming and dairy business that is based in Somerset. Its founders, Roger and Mary Mead began making yogurts, using milk from their dairy herd, in 1974, selling them from the gate of their farm and to local shops.

Production of organic yogurts was started in 1993, when Yeo Valley was approached by a handful of local farmers who were producing organic milk, but had difficulty finding a consistent demand for it.

The first organic product, a natural yogurt, was an instant success. This encouraged Yeo Valley to look at the possibility of additional products, and also ways to encourage more farmers to become organic, so that an increasing supply of organic milk would become available to cope with growing demand. The rest, as the saying goes, is history . . .

Today Yeo Valley Organic is Britain’s most successful and best known organic dairy company, with scores of awards for product quality and innovation and a Queen’s Award presented in 2001 for the revolutionary way it has worked with its farming suppliers, encouraging them to turn organic and giving them long-term ‘fair trade’ contracts.

Sweet, sticky balsamic flavoured figs scattered over creamy stilton and crème fraiche make this a delicious treat for many occasions - wonderful for parties, buffets, as a starter, light lunch or just an indulgent snack at any time of the day. Loved by children too - the crème fraiche softens the strong Stilton taste and they adore the sweet figs. This is sure to be a big hit with the whole family.

Ingredients for Sticky Figs and Stilton Crostini

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
8 large dried figs
150g (5oz) English Stilton
100g (4oz) Yeo Valley Organic Crème Fraiche
8 slices of ciabatta
Few sprigs of watercress

How to make Sticky Figs and Stilton Crostini

• Place the vinegar and water in a small pan with the sugar.

• Add the figs and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the vinegar is very syrupy. Leave to cool. Slice the figs.

• Crumble the cheese in a bowl and mix in the crème fraiche.

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC / gas mark 6.

• Place the ciabatta on a baking tray and brush each side lightly with oil. Bake on both sides until light brown.

• Spread each slice of toast with the Stilton mixture and then top with the sliced figs.

• Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes until the Stilton melts.

• Slice in half diagonally if wished and top with a little watercress to serve.

Tip:

Get ahead and bake the ciabatta slices a day in advance then store in an airtight container until required. You can prepare the figs and mix together the Stilton and crème fraiche in advance and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Assemble just before you wish to serve them.

Serves 8

www.yeovalleyorganic.co.uk