roasted figs

I’m notorious for walking into the grocery store, seeing something I don’t know how to cook and grabbing it just so I can learn what to do. Really that’s my impulse shopping. It doesn’t tend towards junk food anymore, it tends more towards a general curiosity about the food around me.

But I’m a foodie so that shouldn’t surprise you. I love cooking, I love being in my kitchen, I love discovering new flavor profiles and all that foodie talk. I love to do it myself. Sometimes it ends super well, hence all the recipes that are up on the website, sometimes I’m the conductor of the Hot Mess Express. Really it’s a toss up.

Regardless, I was at Trader Joe’s because it’s the only store I can effectively bribe my child into going to (thanks to the little carts) and I saw figs. What a cool looking fruit, but something I’m none too familiar with cooking. The figs were on sale though so I thought fuck it, let’s get it and I’ll figure it out.

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My mind immediately went to fig jam and I started thinking that figs would pair nicely with something sweet. Initially, I wanted to pair the figs with balsamic vinegar BUT alas I was fresh out (I know, I’m a bad Italian), so my next go to after rummaging through my pantry was honey. I wanted something with a sweeter profile but not something so sweet that it would take over the flavor of the fig. Figs in nature aren’t super strong as far as flavors go, so they can be overpowered really easily by pretty much anything else.

My other thought was that I wanted something I didn’t have to eat all in one sitting. Something I could save and use throughout the week in different ways so I could stretch the yield of what I made a little longer.

Really it was that simple. I think from inception to completion, this whole thing took about 30 minutes.

Let me tell you, totally worth it. These little suckers have been so versatile AND have held up super well all week in my fridge.

roasted figs

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

1 pound fresh figs, rinsed, stems removed, cut in half

2 tablespoons of honey

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Lay your halved figs cut side down onto the cookie sheet, drizzle honey on top and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the figs are browned. Serve immediately hot or save them for up to 5 days in an airtight container in your fridge!

  • Goes great on salads, topped with goat cheese, or even topped with bacon!