Before you all jump down my throat, yes, I do realize that this recipe sounds like it could be on the cover of Gourmet magazine instead of being the “recipe of the day” for weelicious, but when I made these for Kenya, he actually let out one of the bigger “mmm’s” I’ve ever heard him utter when trying one of my new recipes. When I get a big “mmm,” that generally means he really loves something. This particular “mmm” was the biggest I’d heard in a long time, so, trust me, you may have more success with this dish than you think. Kenya’s eyes lit up when he saw me placing the entire fig on his plate and serving a drip of balsamic vinegar for him to dip it in (although this added ingredient isn’t necessary, just fun).
Fresh figs are luscious, chewy, rich and textured, but when they’re roasted they become uber sweet. The best surprise for your little one will be the tiny piece of cheese inside the fig which melts and turns this into such a heavenly treat. I love using gorgonzola cheese, but you could also try other types of blue cheese, taleggio or anything else that sounds good to you.
Also, if you want wanted to give this to a baby under the age of one, you could roast the figs without the cheese in the same way and puree the roast fig. Now that’s really gourmet puree.
Bon Appetite!

Roast Figs with Gorgonzola (Makes 6 Figs)

6 Fresh Figs, make sure they’re soft and ripe (I used mission figs, but most variety will be perfect)
1 Tbsp Gorgonzola Cheese
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar (for dipping if you think your little one would like it)

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.
2. Using a pairing knife remove a 3/4 inch circle (in the shape of a plug) out of the bottom of each fig. *All you’re doing in this step is removing a small piece out of the bottom of the fig that you will place back in the fig as it bakes so the cheese doesn’t seep out.
3. Polk your little finger in to make space for the cheese.
4. Place 1 teaspoon of cheese in the bottom of the fig and replace the fig “plug”.
5. Brush or rub each fig with olive oil.
6. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Cool, slice in half or serve whole. You can also drizzle them with a little balsamic vinegar.