Planked Figs with Pancetta and Goat Cheese

Where do I begin? This recipe was so interesting and so genius it’s been with me for 6 years. Smokey, sweet, salty, unctuous, cheese and fruity all at once is a mind blowing experience.  The first time I made these in 2015 iI tasted one as it came out the oven to be sure I liked them for my guests. My immediate thought was, “Where can I hide these…?” Then, the guilt set in, and I buckled under the weight of shame and served them. Did my guests like them? They were gone in under 15 minutes upon their arrival and received high-praise.

If you enjoy figs and a good charcuterie board, this is everything on the board, delicately dressed together and then grilled on the board. Follow the directions carefully.

The recipe comes from my favorite Epicurious.com if you have never visited their site, now is the time. The original recipe comes from the cookbook by

KAREN ADLER JUDITH FERTIG JUNE 2010 25 ESSENTIALS: TECHNIQUES FOR PLANKING

by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig. Copyright © 2010 by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig; photographs copyright © 2010 by Joyce Oudkerk Pool. Published by The Harvard Common Press.

If you click the authors’ names above it will give you more of their incredible recipes. The link in the name of the book gives you the ability to purchase their book.

Planked Figs with Pancetta and Goat Cheese

Recipe by by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig | June 2010 via Epicurious | From their book 25 ESSENTIALS: TECHNIQUES FOR PLANKING

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup crème de cassis or other not-too-sweet fruit liqueur, such as crème de mûre, or Calvados
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 8 large, ripe black or green fresh figs, cut in half lengthwise, stems left intact
• 8 thin slices pancetta
• 1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
• Clover or other amber honey for drizzling

PREPARATION

1. Pour the fruit liqueur into a shallow dish. Sprinkle the pepper on a saucer. Dip the cut sides of the figs first into the fruit liqueur, then into the pepper, and place, cut side up, on a baking sheet to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Cut each slice of pancetta lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Loosely wrap each fig half with a strip of pancetta. Fry the rest of the pancetta until crisp and crumbly and set aside.
3. Prepare a hot fire in your grill.
4. Place the planks on the grill grate and close the lid. When the planks start to smoke and pop, after 3 to 5 minutes, open the lid and turn the planks over using grill tongs. Quickly place the fig halves on the planks, cut side up. Sprinkle the goat cheese and fried pancetta on the figs. Cover and plank-roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the figs have softened and are scorched around the edges and the goat cheese has a burnished appearance and a brownish-red color. Drizzle with the honey and serve.
5. Oven-Planking:Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the planked pancetta-wrapped figs, sprinkled with goat cheese and fried pancetta, in the middle of the oven. Plank-roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the figs are scorched around the edges. Drizzle with honey and serve.

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