Baking Through the Blogs: Roasted Figs

I miss my fresh figs already.

Nick was working in the yard this weekend and he trimmed back the fig bushes for the winter.  Now they look like sad, broken down stumps.

After dusk on Sunday night, I helped him drag the branches down to the sink hole, the fuzzy smell still coming off the fig leaves. I grabbed one last fig that was holding on, but that’s it for this year.

And can I go ahead and complain about this getting dark at 5 pm deal? I wish we could just get rid of the whole daylight savings deal and stick with one time the entire year.

But no matter what I do, winter is coming. We were sitting in the front room last night, waiting for the new How I Met Your Mother to come on, and it was pitch black by 7 pm. I thought I needed to be in bed at 8:30 – this early darkness makes me feel so confused…and so tired, just because it’s dark.

I’m so happy I made this dish with the last batch of our figs this year.

Besides finally having more than one bathroom, I think our fig bushes are one of my favorite things about our new house.

Before moving into this place, I had never had a fresh fig. But now we’ve made pizza, cake, jams, and eaten them on their own.

Roasting was one last thing I wanted to do with them before they were gone for the season.

I haven’t forgotten about my cooking challenge. I’ve got a long list of things I want to make, and I crossed one more off the list with these tender figs.

If you read any food blogs, you’ve probably heard of Todd and Diane, the White on Rice Couple.

They are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. I had the chance to see them work at Food Blog Forum in Nashville last month and chat them up at the cocktail party that night. Seriously fun people, and they love what they do. You can see it in every picture they take – the stories, light, love, truth.

I can’t put my pictures up against theirs for these, but I had to try their recipe for Roasted Figs with Sage and Red Wine.

But…you know me. I made some changes.

I love orange zest, so I swapped out the lemon zest/juice for orange and used fresh rosemary instead of the sage. The savory punch from the rosemary gave the perfect balance to the sweet figs and bright orange.

I ate these by themselves, over plain yogurt, and with one spoonful of vanilla ice cream to finish them off.

If you can still get figs, put these in the oven this week for a syrupy, warm dessert.

 

Roasted Figs with Orange and Rosemary

Adapted from and Inspired by these Roasted Figs from Todd and Diane

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh figs
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp red wine
  • 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
  • zest of 1/2 large orange
  • 1-2 tsp fresh rosemary

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut the stems from the figs and slice them in half lengthwise.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the honey, red wine, orange juice, orange zest, and rosemary. Toss the figs with the honey mixture.
  4. Place the figs cut side down in a baking dish.
  5. Roast the figs in the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on how soft you want your figs.

 

16 comments

  1. The whole dark early thing is totally annoying! I still haven’t had a fresh fig. But this looks so yummy

  2. that looks amazing! I’ve never cooked with figs or anything. Always just eat them plain! I need to find a fig tree here – they grow quite well in NC – raid it and try this! :)

  3. i’ve never had a fig!! can you believe it? they look so good. the fact that you cooked them with red wine and rosemary totally has my attention.

  4. How cool! Yum what a great flavour combo :)

  5. I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I WIIIIILLL be making this. Oh, my heart.

  6. Hi Brandi:) I tried my first fig this year because of you! I didn’t even ever think to roast them. I love the black figs:)

  7. Still jealous of your fig abundance this year :) This looks amazing!

  8. I saw some fresh figs in california this past weekend but for some unknown reason didn’t buy any! Sheesh. What is WRONG with me! I could be eating this tonight if I had.

  9. If roasted figs are remotely as delicious as roasted grapes are, I might be in absolute heaven with this little bit of info. (My new favorite thing is roasted Brussels sprouts, grapes and almonds tossed with crumbled goat cheese. Figs instead next time, perhaps??)

  10. Lovely! You are very lucky to have fig trees at your new home. We’ve purchased four fig trees in the last couple years, and this was the first year that they produced. We only got a handful, and once the boys figured out how good they are, well there weren’t any left to cook with! We’re looking forward to the next year.

  11. i miss figs and agree about this dark at 5pm business… these figs look fantastic though, and i’d love a great big spoonfull :)

  12. Pingback: Tis the seasoning | Emma Approved

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