Here’s a quick, delicious appetizer you can serve to your guests as the summer gently slips away from us. The days are still warm but I sense a little nip in the air as the sun sets.
The star of this dish is pastourma, a salt and air-cured beef that’s coated in a spice blend (tsimeni) and often served on it’s own with cheese, in phyllo pies, with eggs and chopped and added to bean dishes.
I’ve paired pastourma with sweet dried figs. If you live in a part of the world where you have tree-ripened figs – go with those.
There’s a dressing that complements the figs with some citrus and vinegar, full fat tart Greek yogurt and some herbs to brighten the entire dish.
You may find pastourma at Middle Eastern, Turkish or Greek specialty shops. I like the Armenian pastourma at Adonis.
Pastourma With Figs and Greek Yogurt
(appetizer for 4)
8 dried figs
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. lemon verbena leaves (or mint), hand torn
1 cup strained Greek-style yogurt
12 slices of pastourma
- Place your figs in a bowl and covered with enough hot water to just cover. Cover the bowl and allow the figs to soften for 5 minutes.
- Drain off the water, cut and remove the stems and cut each fig in half.
- Add the vinegar, honey, orange and lemon juices, olive oil, chives and stir to combine.
- Spread the yogurt on your serving platter and the pastourma with your hands and place half the pieces on top. Now place the figs on top followed by the remaining pastrourma slices.
- Spoon over any remaining “dressing” in your bowl and top with lemon verbena (or mint) leaves and serve.
