The sweet and tangy combination of ripe figs and goat cheese is a classic that is perfect as an appetizer or even dessert!  Here in San Diego I've been enjoying the ripe figs off our trees and I noticed that Trader Joe's is also stocking fresh figs right now.  They're delicious by themselves or you can take a few minutes to create a simple dish like I did here.

Did you know that there are actually two fig seasons?  Figs bear a first crop of fruit (on last year's growth) in spring and a second crop (on new growth) in early fall.  So usually figs appear in the markets twice a year.  Take advantage of the late season harvest to make these yummy appetizers.   I think they would go over well with almost anyone - the first time I made them, my kids and husband were eating them up and fighting over the last ones. 

Figs spoil pretty quickly, so when you get them, plan on using them within a day or so.  In this recipe, I paired them with goat cheese, but you can also pair them the same way with mascarpone cheese, also sold at Trader Joe's.  If you want to take it to another level, wrap a little prosciutto around the fig/cheese combination and enjoy a taste explosion! 

Warm Honeyed Figs with Goat Cheese

10-12 medium or large figs
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
2 oz goat cheese

1,) Cut each fig in half, from stem to end.
2.) In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Place the figs in the skillet cut side down and saute the figs for 1-2 minutes until the faces are softened, hot, and slightly caramelized.  Remove from heat.
3.) Drizzle the figs with the honey and gently toss to distribute honey.
4.) Place the figs face up on a platter.  The figs will be warm and the centers softened.  Place a small chunk or a few crumbles of goat cheese in the center of each fig.  The goat cheese will soften slightly from the heat.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Note: If the figs you get are very small, you can just cut the very tops off, slice down into the tops just a little, saute, and then "stuff" with a little goat cheese.