Fresh Baked Figs with Spanish Chorizo and Almonds

Spanish cuisine and tapas are a continuous source of inspiration for me. There are endless combinations of different kinds of fruit, cheese, fish, meat and nuts that can be married together to make something delicious and unique.

I have been waiting for summer until figs are in season to make tapas from ripe figs, studded with almonds, stuffed with spicy Spanish chorizo and showered with crumbly cheese. The other day I happened to see these beautiful purple figs at the market and though I usually like to stick with seasonal fruits because they always taste the best, I jumped at my chance to make them now.

While in this dish the figs are essentially stuffed with the ingredients, the execution of the recipe makes it seems like the ingredients burst forth from the deep scarlet fissures of the figs, giving up their sweet ghosts to reveal a secret savory center rich in texture and cloaked in contrast. These tapas are a delicious combination of depth of flavor (fruity, nutty, salty and sweet) and ease of consumption. This combination will make an impact on your palate.

Ingredients:

• 6 figs
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2  tbsp ex virg olive oil
• pinch of salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated parmesan, though blue cheese or goat cheese would also work
• 1/2 cup finely chopped chorizo

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to about 450F. Cut a cross into the top of each fig almost all the way to the bottom. Arrange the figs on a baking tray and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Divide the crumble mix into each of the cuts on the figs, packing gently. Bake the figs for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the crumble is lightly golden. Serve with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe is an adaptation of one of the wonderful recipes from John on heneedsfood.com