Roasted Fig Flatbreads with Chèvre and Greens

Figs are officially in season, my friends, but it never lasts long. In past years, I blinked my eyes and they were gone before I even had a chance to find them anywhere. Last weekend I was at the store and jumped for joy when I saw them. Once home, I stared and stared at the precious fruit I had just bought. I had absolutely no idea what I planned to do with them. I searched and searched for ideas both sweet and savory, but nothing was jumping out at me. Eventually I had thought about it for so long, nothing was even making sense. You know, sort of like when you read the same word over and over until it doesn’t even seem like a word anymore? Yeah, that.

I tasted a fig to see if that would inspire me, but was disappointed to find that the particular fruit I had bought was a bit lackluster. It tasted fine, but certainly not worthy of all the glowing words I’ve read about figs from others. So I decided to do what I often do with lackluster fruits and veggies – roast them. Roasting can bring out the best in so many things and I decided that would be the way to go. Finally, hunger plus a few random ingredients hanging around our shelves and fridge pulled together what you see here. Simple flatbreads are topped with a whipped goat cheese, caramelized onions, fresh greens, the roasted figs and a drizzle of honey. I was not sure what to expect but we loved the end result. The flavors all complemented each other nicely and all in all, this was a fantastic light and fresh late summer meal. What is your favorite thing to make with fresh figs?

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil
1-2 small to medium yellow onions, thinly sliced*
Pinch of granulated sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
16 oz. fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
About 2 tbsp. brown sugar
4 oz. plain goat cheese, slightly softened
2 tbsp. milk
Honey, to taste

To serve:
4 (7-8 inch) flatbreads**
Fresh greens such as argula or a spring mix
Honey, for drizzling

Directions

01
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion to the pan. Toss with the pinch of sugar, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fully caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
02
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Place the figs on the baking sheet, cut sides up. Sprinkle brown sugar lightly over the tops of the fruit. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 10-15 minutes, until softened and juicy. (Keep an eye on them to be sure they do not burn or over brown.)
03
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the goat cheese, milk and a drizzle of honey. Beat together with a hand mixer (or mix vigorously) until the cheese is smooth. Adjust as needed with additional milk and/or honey until you have a cheese that is light, fluffy and spreadable.
04
To assemble, spread a thin layer of the goat cheese mixture over each of the flatbreads. Top with a few of the caramelized onions and a handful of greens. Sprinkle the roasted figs over the greens and drizzle the finished flatbreads very lightly with additional honey, if desired. Serve immediately.
05
*If you love caramelized onions as much as I do (a lot), use two onions. Otherwise, one is fine.
**Feel free to use store-bought flatbreads, or make your own. In the recipe linked above, a half batch of dough will yield four flatbreads. Whatever type you choose to use, make sure to crisp them up slightly before using. Whether you toast in the oven, grill them or heat in a skillet, the crisp will provide the integrity to ensure that your meal won’t fall apart.