Fig, Thyme, and Blue Cheese Tartines
Maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm posting roughly every other day instead of my daily Eager Beaver of yore. It's a more sustainable rhythm, but the upshot is I've got recipes piling up like nobody's business. I've got soup, cookies, cake, and sandwiches waiting in the wings, and I never know what will make it on here from day to day.
Today, it's these tartines, which is a fancy name for open-faced sandwiches. The way I think of it, you don't have to cover up all the pretty stuff with more bread. And somehow, the fact they're called tartines gives more freedom to experiment with toppings.
I got a tray of figs today at Costco, so they'll be going in everything for a few days. I'm imagining a fig and ricotta--you guessed it--galette. And figs in my salad. If I get ambitious and caloric, it will be figs wrapped in bacon and broiled. I've noticed not everyone likes those seedy, squishy figs. If they're not your thing, I'm sorry for you. And you could easily substitute some thinly-sliced crisp apple.
I had these for lunch and dinner today, and am planning on having them for breakfast. Yancey's at the fire station, clearly. This was my exchange with Wyatt on the way home from the park at 5:00:
Wyatt: Mom, what's for dinner?
Me: [sighing, annoyed, tired]: I don't know, honey. We'll see.
Wyatt: You usually have a plan. This means we're having something yummy for dinner, like macaroni and cheese or Top Ramen. Yeah!
How is it that Wyatt can be six, yet see absolutely everything in his world (and about his mother) so clearly? So the kids had some "yummy" boxed macaroni and cheese while I popped a couple tartines in the oven. And who am I kidding? After chasing four kids around the park, I was still hungry and finished off the kids' mac and cheese. Mine was swimming in Crystal's hot sauce, but that's another post. If you don't have Crystal's in your fridge, we're wasting our time talking about tartines.
Fig, Thyme, and Blue Cheese Tartines
Makes two tartines, enough to serve one mother who's just returned from Costco and successfully resisted the pizza (and toddler entreaties for pizza) on her way out.
2 thick slices fresh artisan bread
2 oz. chevre
1 large fig, thinly sliced
bit of crumbled blue cheese
2 Tb. coarsely chopped pecans
few springs of fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves stripped from stems
drizzle of honey
fresh ground pepper
Lightly toast both sides of bread under the broiler or in the toaster.
Spread chevre. Top with overlapping fig slices, then blue cheese. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes, until edges of toast are crispy and toppings are bubbling.
Remove from oven and sprinkle on pecans and thyme. Top with a drizzle of honey and a grind of pepper.
September 25, 2009
Reader Comments (18)
I can hear my stomach grumbling...
They look like the best tartine.
They are so lovely. I will try them for a sweet evening at home!
Thanks for having shared this recipe. I've just discovered your blog and loved it at first glance :)
wyatt kills me! i love that kid!! (and these look absolutely heavenly!)
I love Wyatt's insights--And I am glad to know that you have both chevre, figs and mac and cheese on hand, and that your children get pumped about Top Ramen (as do mine). It reminds me of how many times I am driving home from some beautiful organic foody experience/farm, and end up in a drive-through ordering fries.
Met a reader this morning! Always so fun. Apparently figs are exotic food. My kids won't touch 'em, and Naomi didn't know what they looked like. I think Naomi likes them though. I "heart" them.
p.s. I totally read this entry when you first posted it, but there were no comments. I waited to comment, so as not to be the first. It about drove me crazy.
Ha! Funny kid. Glad to know that even you have Top Ramen in your cupboard! It's all about balance. And speaking of balance, I must stop cyber-stalking your website - I adore it, clicking it open a couple times a day...a few times a day...well, a lot, ok? It's great.
You know, if you've met us to play in the morning, you should probably say you're exhausted from chasing 4 kids and an adult all morning.
I hate to admit that before Priya told me there were "figs in the fridge" and I saw them in their labeled Trader Joe's container, I probably wouldn't have known what I was looking at. Also, never heard the word "tartine" before.
Oh yeah, this looks so good. I grew up with a fig tree in the back yard, and it's something I still associate with California even though they grow just fine in Portland.
I've only heard the word "tartine" spoken with a snooty French accent.
LOL, I enjoy blue box mac and cheese occasionally. I need to look for figs at Costco, because this looks amazing! Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of them!
Just wanted to say, yes, the stalkers have noticed (smile).
And I'm all for almost whatever keeps this going for the long haul.
Looks divine.
I'm one of those people who can't do figs. But that tartine is so lovely looking I want one anyway. Love the idea of the apple substitute.
this looks delicious. and for the record, i ALWAYS have crystal's sauce in my fridge and a bottle on deck in the pantry. BEST pizza condiment.
I know--I've seen Chris DUMP it on his pizza.
yummmmm! I have been wanting to do a post on tartines, i am obsessed. Any type of open face sandiwch combination, im a fan. Great flavors. I'm certain this tasted better than costco pizza... though that stuff is pretty good for the price if i do say so.
Another home run recipe, Sarah. We made these tonight. Amazing! Thank you! Your site is the first place I check now when I need a recipe.
I am now officially pissed that I skirted the produce section of Costco yesterday, thinking "we can't possibly eat 20 bananas." oy! We could certainly eat 20 (or 50) figs. I am so envious of your fig collection that I'm sure I'll have a weird fig dream now. These look heavenly!