Fresh Figs for the Finish

What better finish to a light summer meal than fresh sugared figs?

To those of us whose only extra-biblical experience of figs involved the name Newton, the idea that figs are actually fruit might come as a surprise. I experienced that epiphany one holiday season when friends presented our family with one of those mail-order arrangements of dried fruit. What were those squashy brown chewy disks? Figs? Really? I grew up in the rust belt of Ohio, what did I know? Many more years passed before I encountered the same fruit in its fresh form.

Now that we live in Arizona, I have found all sorts of biblical things growing on trees - olives, dates, pomegranates and several different sorts of figs. At the end of the summer when the family back in Ohio is overrun with overgrown zucchini and overripe tomatoes, we're hoping our neighbor's tree will produce enough figs to share. Because figs do not travel easily or keep well, the few that reach the Midwest command impressive prices. So if you aren't among the lucky folk living in California or the Southwest, you'll want to take the best advantage of any fresh figs you might find.

This recipe is about as simple and foolproof as anyone could hope for, and it will showcase your figs nicely. It's simple enough to make as an afternoon snack for the kids - which we do here where the figs grow. But if you're in the Northeast, you might want to present it to guests, alongside a bowl of sorbet and a glass of madeira.

Recipe: Broiled Fresh
Figs

Remove stems slice each fig in half lengthwise.
Press cut side of each piece in sugar.
Arrange on pie plate or broiling pan.
Broil 4 to 8 minutes, until sugar is bubbly and browned.
Remove to serving dish and serve immediately.