By Christie Vanover | Published October 2, 2013 | Last Updated December 28, 2022
I love traditional 7-layer dip made with refried beans, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cheese, jalapenos and green onions, but having lived just a few miles from the French border, I also love rich, melty brie cheese, warm chèvre (goat) cheese and figs.
So as part of my latest camping adventure, I put a French twist on my 7-layer dip.
Step one was grabbing a couple sheets of foil again; remember this is a camping adventure sans pans. All of our meals were cooked using foil and skewers over an open campfire.
I made a large cavity out of the foil and started layering the European flavors.The dip is so pleasant because it has alternating layers of rich meats and cheeses, sweetness and crunch.
I had pre-chopped some pancetta and fresh figs and layered them in the bottom. I love fresh Brown Turkey figs so much, I planted a fig tree in my front yard about 6 months ago. They have a soft flesh with crunchy seeds similar to a kiwi fruit. They really add nice texture to this creamy dip.
Next was a layer of chèvre (goat) cheese. I bought the log of cheese and just crumbled it on top of the figs. For sweetness, I smeared on some fig preserves and layered on slices of brie.
For the final touch, next came a generous drizzle of honey and chopped walnuts. You can add a dash of pepper and sprinkle of lemon zest, too, to really make the flavors pop.
After 30 minutes on the campfire, we opened up our foil pouch, poured a glass of wine and experienced an absolutely fantastic, rich dip. Our Canadian campsite neighbors happened to be chatting it up in French, so that really added to the ambience.
This dip is truly a gourmet campfire treat, but if you’re not hitting the trails anytime soon, layer it up in a casserole dish, pop it in a 375-degree oven for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted through and serve it with French bread, crackers or tortilla chips.
Fig and Brie 7-Layer Dip
Ingredients
- 3 ozs. pancetta chopped
- 1 cup fresh Brown Turkey figs chopped
- 4 ozs. goat cheese crumbled
- fig jam
- 6 ozs. brie cheese sliced
- honey
- ½ cup walnuts
- black pepper and lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Lay out three large pieces of non-stick foil, dull side up. Place them on top of each other and shape them into a bowl. Layer the ingredients in this order: pancetta,
- figs,
- goat cheese,
- jam,
- brie,
- honey,
- walnuts, black pepper and lemon zest.
- Wrap up the foil and place the pouch over warm coals.
- Cook for about 30 minutes, until the cheeses are melted. Serve with chips, bread or crackers.
- Oven Method: Layer in a casserole dish. Bake uncovered in a 375-degree oven for 20-30 minutes.
This estimate was created using an online nutrition calculator
Leslie M says
In the narrative, you say that you’d pre-chopped prosciutto, but in the recipe it calls for pancetta. Which is correct?
zestuous says
Good catch! Thanks. I used pancetta (I fixed the post), but you could use prosciutto, soppressata or even capicola.