Grilled Stuffed Figs

Savory, sweet and sour all at the same time

If you haven’t grilled figs, this is something we encourage you to try. And if you have smoked figs, you know that putting them on the grilling –high heat, low maintenance– enhances the roasted, delicious taste this fruit has. It’s a little on the bitter side, not your typical sweet fruit: all the more reason to marry it with some goat cheese. Top it with balsamic to finish off this fusion of salty, sweet and sour. This is about as simple as it gets, and it’s heavily rewarding!

Quickly prep and grill

Set up your grill for indirect heat and add one small chunk of apple wood. The figs and cheese can be easily over smoked, so be sure to only add a small piece for a touch of smoke. Aim for about 300 degrees. There are many varieties of figs, so taste them and see which one you like best. I prefer the black mission figs, but they are more delicate and will need to be watched closer on the grill. At the store, choose the figs that are somewhat firm, as the very ripe ones will fall apart on the grill. Prepare the figs by slicing the stem off and then cutting them part way down in a cross pattern. This will open them up to let in some smoke and also give you a spot to put the goat cheese later. Place all of the prepped figs into a 1” baking pan and brush on some olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

Top it off with cheese and balsamic

After griling the figs for 5-10 minutes, add a dollop of goat cheese onto each fig. It will take you 1 to 2 minutes, and then the figs will be ready. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar onto the figs and enjoy them while warm!

Suggestions: Set over a bed of arugula, for extra fragrant freshness; for garnish and taste. As for toppings, you can make a balsamic vinegar reduction if you want a more syrup like texture to the sauce that drizzles over the figs. Simply put some balsamic vinegar in a pan and let it simmer over medium-low heat until it has reduced and is the consistency you are looking for. Add a crushed garlic clove for a little infused flavor.