Fig, Pear and Blue Cheese Tart

Got Merlot? Yes. Then have I got the appetizing small plate tart for you! Fig, Pear and Blue Cheese pair up so well together to create a contrasting flavor explosion in your mouth.  I'm not sure why I am so hyped about Blue Cheese lately, but here is another deliciously easy treat.

What? No Merlot? That's perfectly fine this pairs well with any sparkling beverage, something that has an effervescence to help cleanse the pallet in between bites.

By the way, although the photo shows a fork, I didn't use it  to gobble this tart up.  The crispy puff pastry was sturdy enough to lift each piece without flopping the toppings into my lap. 


Okay let's get started.  Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

1 frozen puff party sheet thawed, follow box instructions for thawing
1 small Pear cored and diced
1/2 C Figs chopped
1/4 C Blue Cheese, crumbled
3T Fig preserves

 Chop the Figs and Pear and crumble the Blue Cheese and set aside.

Carefully unfold your puff pastry  and place it on a baking sheet.  I lined mine with parchment paper, but if your pan is non-stick there really is no need to do that. Next take a butter knife and score the pasty about one inch in from the edge to create a frame.  Don't cut clean through the party though you don't want it to detach. 

Next, take a fork and pierce the entire surface inside the framed you just created.  Now bake in the oven on 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.  You have to pre-bake the pasty otherwise you'll have a uncooked doughy bottom and that would be just plain gross.

 Staying inside the lines spread a generous layer of preserves onto the baked pastry

Now simply sprinkle your Fig, Pear and Blue Cheese on top.  Be sure every bite gets a little bit of all the ingredients. 

Time to toss it back into the oven, again on 400 degrees for 10-15 more minutes. 

When done remove from the oven.  Place your Fig, Pear and Blue Cheese tart on a serving tray and allow to cool slightly.  Then cut into slices.  I cut mine into nine equal squares using a pizza wheel. 

 Yummy!

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

With a crunchy toasted croustini and tomato basil bed upon which these succulent scallops sit these appetizers are like a party in your mouth.  Serve these as a pass around at a cocktail party or as a small plate for lunch or snack. 

I just couldn't pass up these fresh plumb all natural scallops.  A pound of these yielded 15-18 pieces and were $16.99 per lb.  So, I got a half pound which came out to be eight scallops.  I asked the fish monger to hand me the container so I could smell them and sure enough they smell sweet and just like the ocean.  Not fishy at all.

Here's what I used to make these Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

8 Sea Scallops
French Baguette sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
5 small vine ripened tomatoes (ping pong or golf ball size)
Fresh Basil leaves
2T Unsalted Butter
1/4 C Mayonaise
1T Sriracha Chili Sauce
1T Lemon fresh juice
1T Ketchup
1T Oilive oil
1 garlic clove
S&P to taste


Rinse your scallops with cold running water then lay on a plate lined with paper towel and pat them dry.

Lightly sprinkle scallops with kosher salt.

I decided to use a cast iron skillet over a non-stick pan because I wanted to get a really good browning and canalization on these scallops quickly.  A non-stick pan would have required a longer cooking time and you never want to over cook a scallop. 

Melt the butter over medium high heat.  Place the scallops in butter and cook for 2 -3 minutes. 

Turn each scallop over and continue to cook for another two-three minutes.  While scallops are cooking tilt the pan and spoon the hot browning butter over the tops.  Once the scallops are finished cooking remove them from the pan and place on a plate with a clean towel to drain. 
 

The grocer's bread department usually carries baguettes already sliced into rounds, but if you can't find those then grab a whole baguettes and slice it into 1/4 inch rounds.  Place 16 rounds on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil.  Place under the oven broiler and keep an eye on them.  Toast until golden but not burnt.

While the baguette rounds are still hot take a clove of garlic and rub each piece of bread.  The more you scrub the rounds with the garlic the more flavor it will impart. 

Slice your small  tomatoes into 16 slices or enough slices for each baguette round you have. Please note these are not cherry tomatoes they are just very small tomatoes about the size of ping pong or golf balls.

Pluck 16 Medium sized leaves from your fresh basil plant or package.  DO NOT use dried basil!

In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon juice, ketchup.  Place a dollop on each garlic toasted round.

Lay each scallop on its side and slice in half creating two pieces each with a seared caramelized top.  I wish I had photographed this step, but I'm sure you can figure it out.  If not let me know in the comments.  

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

Create you layers.  Croustini, sriracha sauce, then lay down a basil leaf, top that with a tomato slice and lastly sit a scallop half on top.  Serve and Enjoy!!!

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

These snacks are so good! I hope you have a chance to try making them for yourself.  If you do please let me know how they came out.