Fig Season

This is what figs look like!


Kate here, reporting from the wilds of SF. The intern and I have be consuming a large amount of figs for the past month or more, mostly because they are in season, and they are the most delicious and versatile fruit ever. ever. If you have Fig Newton taste in your mouth right now, just dump it, because figs are good out of bar form, and really can't be compared to the chewy bar-y newton thing you're familiar with.

Our recipe is one that we've developed after some serious taste-testing and rigorous interneting, just to come up with the most delicious roasted fig recipe.

We don't have a simpler name for these figs, but here is what we call them.
Roasted figs wrapped in prosciutto, stuffed with goat cheese with a balsamic reduction.
The name practically says it all.

The Recipe

Start with a good bowl of figs, slightly soft to the touch, but not mushy. We always eat more than we think we will, so prepare at least 2-3 per person if you are serving them as an appetizer or side dish. Figs are in season RIGHT NOW, you can't wait til your birthday to make these.

Ingredients:
Figs
Goat cheese (or you can use blue cheese, but this makes them pretty intense)
Prosciutto
balsamic vinegar for reduction

Step by Step Directions:

Make a small incision in each fig, halfway into the center without cutting all the way through the fig, and stuff the fig with a spoonful of goat cheese.

Slice prosciutto into thin strips, to be wrapped around the figs.

Wrap each fig in a strip of prosciutto. If the figs are ripe and slightly wet from washing, the prosciutto will stick well to the outsides without needing a toothpick to hold everything in place. The prosciutto should stay in place throughout cooking, but if you are struggling, just pierce with a toothpick to keep in place.

once all the figs are wrapped, place them together in a baking dish, and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Watch the figs as they bake- you want them to be slightly golden and crispy, but you don't want the goat cheese to melt too much, and pour out of the figs.

While the figs are baking, prepare the balsamic reduction in a small pan. Ask the intern if you don't know how to make this reduction. He is very good at it.

Once the figs are ready, we put them on a bed of arugula, then drizzle the reduction over the top and serve. I promise, these might change your life.