Effortless Gourmet: The Fig and Stilton Holiday Appetizer

Basal stress level feel twice as high as normal? Bank account looking unusually meager? Energy level feel like 2011 was a marathon and you’re just trying to roll across the finish line? Of course they do – it’s holiday crunch time, we’d expect nothing less. For many of us, this weekend promises house cleaning, grocery shopping, menu planning and gift purchasing all in anticipation of the coming holiday festivities. And if we’re lucky, a holiday party or two will add some eggnog to the mix. So we’re especially thankful to Jean Calvert, who contributed this delicious – and easy – appetizer that will impress friends and family alike.

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Fig and Stilton Holiday Appetizer

Ingredients:

• 3 heads Belgian endive, trimmed, washed, and dried
• 1 jar fig and ginger preserves
• Stilton blue cheese
• Dried cranberries or cherries
• Toasted pecans, chopped
• Golden honey
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Place a dollop of fig preserves on the endive boat.  Top with a small chunk of Stilton cheese as the strong flavor blends well with the fig preserves and honey.  Place 2 or 3 dried cranberries and some toasted pecans in the boat. Drizzle with a thin ribbon of honey.  Top with a mint leaf.

Serve with a sauterne, pinot gris, bottle of bubbly or your favorite holiday beverage and enjoy! Thanks again, Jean!

For the gorgonzola fans out there, take a look at our other endive appetizer recipe. (Yes, we have two endive recipes!)

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About the contributor: Jean Calvert is a freelance writer, a jazz & blues singer, as well as an amateur chef happily residing in Greenville, South Carolina.  Her sassy, jazzy Christmas single, KISS MY FANNY, SANTY!, now available on CD Baby.

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Have any other favorite recipes for the holiday season?

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