Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

I'm a new convert to figs. When we were up at Costco last week, I spotted fresh figs. I just had to get them, something inside me was clamoring for a challenge. One, I'd never tried them before. Two, I see recipes for figs all the time. A very gourmet ingredient.

I asked the hubby if he had had a fig. He replied, "Yeah". I was surprised. Until he informed that he had had Fig Newton's, which he considered a fig. I burst out laughing. The hubby considers artificial flavors how things actually taste. What do I mean? The other day I was pitting fresh cherries to eat. The hubby was watching me and informed me, "Ugh, I hate cherries.". I've heard this for as long as I can remember, so I just ignored him for the most part. Until I sat down, and he grabbed one from my bowl and ate it.

"Yum!" I hear from down the couch. I turn and look at him, perplexed. He explained that he had never ate a fresh cherry, he'd only had maraschino cherries. I could not believe it. Did he know, I asked wondrously, that maraschino cherries are sweetened and preserved, and are practically not even real cherries anymore? For that matter, there are tons of fruits where the artificial flavor taste nothing like the real thing. Cherry, watermelon, strawberry, grape, etc. I could go on. The point of all this- the hubby will be trying fresh versions of all fruits before he is allowed to tell me he hates them.

Back to the figs! I love the appearance of the fig. It looks totally formidable, and like you'd have to work your a$$ off to get the fruit out. Like a pomegranate. Well, appearances can be deceiving, because you simply remove the stem and eat the whole thing. They have a sweet aroma, and a crisp interior. Roasting them and pairing them with a creamy goat cheese? Perfection. I recommend you go forth and try some fresh figs, before they go out of season until this time next year!

Ingredients:

Fresh figs, stem removed (halved or sliced)
Goat cheese (spreadable and softened)
French baguette

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. Place figs in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet on top rack in the oven. Place french baguette on middle rack. Bake figs 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Bake bread until browned, about 12-15 minutes. Remove both from oven.
3. Thinly slice the baguette. Spread goat cheese onto the bread, place a halved or sliced fig on top.
4. Enjoy!