Tangy goat’s cheese crostini is topped with a dollop of sticky fig relish and sweet/sour slices of lemon. Serve as a snack or add a salad for a light lunch.
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
Lemon
1 large thin-skinned lemon
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
To assemble
dried fig and balsamic relish (see recipe below)
8 long slices baguette, toasted
100 grams soft goat’s cheese or feta cheese
honey and olive oil for drizzling
mint leaves for garnish
sea salt and ground pepper
Dried Fig & Balsamic Relish
500 grams moist dried figs, stems trimmed off
6 pitted prunes
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup water
sea salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
METHOD
Lemon: Cut the ends off the lemon then halve through the stem end. Slice each half very thinly, removing any pips. You should get at least 20 slices per half lemon. Place in a shallow dish. Combine the sugar and salt and sprinkle over the lemon, turning to coat. Leave for 1 hour turning every 20 minutes. Lemons will keep for three days in the fridge.
To assemble: Spread the baguette with goat’s cheese then top with a spoonful of fig relish. Add a few slices of cured lemon and a drizzle of honey and olive oil. Finish with a grind of pepper and some mint. Makes 8
Dried Fig & Balsamic Relish: Finely chop the figs and prunes and place in a medium saucepan with all the remaining ingredients, except the lemon juice. Season.
Bring to the boil then simmer gently over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes or until the mixture has reduced to a jam-like consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and crush everything together with a potato masher. Cool and refrigerate but bring back to room temperature to serve. Relish will keep refrigerated for 3-4 weeks. Makes about 2 cups
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.