Pan-Roasted Walnuts with Fennel & Saba
Carrie Brown, Jimtown Store
1 tsp salted butter (like McClelland’s), unsalted is fine too
½ pound broken walnut pieces
1 Tbsp fennel seeds, dry toasted
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp Terra Sonoma Saba
½ tsp (or more to taste) sea salt or kosher salt
In a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the butter until it begins to brown. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add the toasted fennel seeds and cayenne and continue to cook, stirring to coat the nuts with the spices, until the walnuts are fragrant and have nicely crisped – a few dark kiss- of- the- devil edges are preferable.
Remove from the heat and let stand in the skillet for 1 minute. Add the Saba and salt and stir to coat. Transfer to a sheet pan to cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature.
Stephanie’s Roasted Dried Figs
Carrie Brown, Jimtown Store
1 pound best-quality, unsulphured black mission figs (choose small ones, in order to produce bite-sized nibbles), stemmed
2 Tbsp fruity, good-quality olive oil
½ tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, toss the figs with the olive and salt to coat. Spread them in single layer on the prepared half sheet pan and roast until they begin to sizzle and plump, about 10 minutes. Cool the figs on the half sheet pan on a rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serve next to the pan roasted walnuts.
Roasted Fresh Figs with Walnuts
Carrie Brown, Jimtown Store
24 ripe Mission or other variety small figs
¼ cup sugar plus 1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup wine (Rose or a light bodied red)
½ cup broken walnuts
1 Tbsp local honey
juice of one lemon
fresh ground black pepper
Crème Fraiche for serving
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Grease a baking dish with a little butter and place the figs shoulder-to-shoulder, stems up in the center. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of wine evenly over the figs. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes, basting occasionally.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the walnuts over the figs, dust with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Continue to roast for another 10 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the figs and walnuts to a serving dish. Add the honey and remaining 2 tablespoons wine to the baking dish and cook over low heat, stirring until the sauce has thickened to a syrupy consistency.
Drizzle over the figs and walnuts, sprinkle with lemon juice and dust with ground pepper. Serve at room temperature or cover and chill. Top with a dollop of crème Fraiche or over vanilla ice cream.
Adapted from a recipe by Paula Wolfert
