Cheese-Filled Figs in Salami

Creating an inspired hors d'oeuvre when starving and in a strange grocery store that is not always the best can be hard to do, but this turned out surprisingly great.

Even more easy-going, these get better after sitting out for a while. If your grocery store is better stocked than where I went, consider mascarpone instead of cream cheese, and perhaps a drizzle of pesto or pureed basil. The store I went to was clean out of basil. :)

Cheese-Filled Figs in Salami:
(makes about 20 appetizers)
8 oz thin-sliced premium salami (get the best you can, it matters)
4 oz cream cheese or mascarpone, softened to room temperature
2 tbs balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried black mission figs
Toothpicks

Directions:
Mix cream cheese (or mascarpone) with balsamic and black pepper and salt to taste. Cut off tops of figs, scrape out insides, fill with cream cheese/mascarpone mix. I used a plastic sandwich bag with the tip cut off as a piping bag to fill the figs.

Wrap filled fig with a piece of salami and spear with a toothpick to hold in place. Drizzle with balsamic, olive oil and pesto (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Serve.