A Kitchen Mis-adventure!

My not so little helper, Alex, is assisting me in blogging tonight. He wanted to add his input on my kitchen failure, and my attempt at redeeming myself, since he helped there too. In fact, he's usually my shadow, especially in the kitchen. Wonder why that is?

So, I've been reading all about what's fresh and in season now.  I've seen all these very yummy recipes using fresh figs. I wanted to try fresh figs after reading a recipe with them in Jim Shirley's Good Grits cookbook. (which is a GREAT cookbook I picked up after eating at The Great Southern Cafe in Seaside, FL)

After searching high and low for fresh figs, I finally found some this week at Publix, of all places.  Like a kid at Christmas, I grab them and bring them home for making yummy goodness.

First, you have to know your ingredients though. So I decided to make what I thought would be the simplest preparation to allow the fig-flavor to shine through. Sliced  'em up, put some Brie on the fig halves, and drizzled them with honey.  Sir Alex eagerly watches, hoping for a treat. I taste it. YUCK!

I WAS NOT a fan! A few bites of this- to give it  a fair shot, then it went in the trash.  I hate wasting food, but this was inedible.

In case you aren't familiar with fresh figs, they are VERY fragile and have short shelf lives. Today was my last shot at these figs before they spoiled.

Tonight, here goes, not expecting much. I again sliced the figs, but this time roasted them for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven with  some kosher salt and olive oil. I pulled them out, and they looked much better, sticky and sweet. In to a bowl they went with some crumbled goat cheese and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

This I liked MUCH better. Figs were hot and sweet, the goat cheese tart and melty, the balsamic adding depth to it all.  Figs, you are redeemed.

I think I'm going to get some more, so I can try this Fig and Beef recipe that  started it all, and  this fig tart recipe, with puff pastry as the crust.

And if you're ever near Seaside, go check out Jim Shirley's food. I especially loved the Grits a Ya Ya.