cheese-stuffed figs

My father loved to host an annual “fig pluck” (try saying that 10 times fast) from our Black Mission tree at my parents’ home in the Napa Valley. This was one of my favorite things to do with the sacks of fruit we plucked. You can use any variety of fig you find at the market. Brown turkey figs are especially good because their size makes them easy to stuff. Serve with a nice bubbly Prosecco.

ingredients

12 ripe figs (any variety)
2 to 3 ounces fresh goat cheese, gorgonzola or cambozola cheese (without rind)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 orange (preferably organic)

directions

Cut stems off figs, then slit figs through tops in an X-pattern almost to bottom; spread figs open, but do not break apart. With your fingers, press a little bit of the cheese in center of each fig, then sprinkle with pepper. Push figs back together around cheese.

Stand figs on a small foil-lined baking sheet and broil until tinged with brown on top, 3 to 5 minutes. With a microplane zester or citrus grater, grate a little orange zest over figs and serve immediately.