Courtesy of PureZing

The sweetness of the figs perfectly offsets the blue cheese. Accompanied with a glass of Cabernet, this recipe makes for a delicious appetizer!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

12 ripe figs
1 ½ cups blue cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon freshly ground green and red peppercorns
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup whole, blanched almonds (skins removed)
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup honey
butter

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly grease a large plate or baking sheet with butter. Mix honey and sugar in a pan and stir till sugar is dissolved. When mixture begins to bubble and turn brown (do not stir), remove from heat and drop in one almond at a time. Turn with a fork to coat and remove to buttered plate.
Repeat process with each almond. Let cool and harden.

Cut stem from fig. Cut fig in quarters, stopping both cuts ½ -inch from the bottom of the fig.
Gently spread fig open.

In a bowl, combine crumbled blue chees and ground pepper. Mix.

Put a small mound of cheese on each plate and sit 2 opened figs on top, like flowers.

Coarsely chop the caramelized almonds and sprinkle on top of open figs. Drizzle each fig with a little olive oil.