Wednesday recipe from Lake Tahoe Markets

While it’s exciting to see all the fresh fruits and vegetables available at Farmers' Markets in late spring and early summer, I find that I get even more excited to see mid-summer fruits and vegetables that I would like to explore. Such as figs!!

Fresh figs are a delightful addition to any Farmers Market. They have a unique, honey-like flavor and a sweet, syrupy juice that makes them incredibly versatile. With their sweet flavor and jammy texture, figs are a hidden gem at Farmers' Markets. Fresh varieties of figs are available from July to early October.

The best part about fresh figs is that they can be used in so many different recipes. Aside from simply taking a bite out of fresh fig, they're a tasty addition to fresh salads, a nice pairing for melty baked brie, or perhaps a lovely dessert of baked figs.

Honey-Baked Black Mission Figs with Orange and Ginger

12 ripe Black Mission figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Cooking spray
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
¼ tsp. grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
4 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1½ Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)
Fresh mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange fig halves, cut side down, in a single layer in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine honey, juice, ginger, and vanilla, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle honey mixture over figs. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; turn figs over. Bake an additional 2 minutes. Remove from oven; cool to room temperature. Combine orange sections and fig mixture, tossing gently. Place cream in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar and liqueur; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Divide fig mixture evenly among 8 bowls; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons whipped cream. Garnish with mint leaves.

--contributed by Jill Rozier
Lake Tahoe Markets
www.LakeTahoeMarkets.com