A while back a friend had a little gathering and served as an appetizer some fig jam with cheese - it was wonderful....ever since I've been on a fig jam kick - looking for ways to use it besides putting it on Brie or even better, Bleu cheese.
I needed a quick sandwich and I pulled out of my refrigerator what I thought might work....Fontina cheese, proscuitto and of course, the fig jam. I also used some French butter....which I just discovered. I was at my favorite grocery store this week, DiLaurentis' in the Pike Place Market, and they had this hunk of butter on their counter - while I was waiting for my turn I heard the clerks telling other shoppers about this butter - it was very creamy and rich and had chunks of sea salt throughout. The clerk said that when it's spread on a piece of bread and you bite into that crisp piece of salt that your tongue would do a little happy dance....well, I'm all about that!
And she was so right! Sea salt in butter will have you doing a happy dance for sure! I wanted to grill these sandwiches but don't have a panini press/maker so I pulled out my George Foreman Grill....Waaa-laaa - they were cooked to perfection in a matter of minutes!
Fontina, Proscuitto and Fig Jam Sandwiches
This makes 6 small sandwiches
I package Proscuitto or buy it fresh from the deli - I used two slices per sandwich, trimmed
4 oz. Fontina cheese, sliced thin
1 small jar fig jam (you will not use the entire jar so you'll have plenty leftover!)
French butter to spread - (butter with sea salt added)
Slices of bread from a good baguette
Spread butter on baguette slices, one side only. Place sliced cheese and 2 slices of proscuitto on top. Spread fig jam on another piece of baguette and put on top of proscuitto. Add a little butter to the outside of the bread and grill until cheese is melted and the bread is lightly toasted.
"I have the simplest of tastes. I am always satisfied with the best." Oscar Wilde
