Lavender Roasted Backyard Figs
This recipe was developed to use on a salad with soft goat cheese and toasted sliced almonds over arugula dressed with lavender vinaigrette (recipe included), preserving the structure of the figs. A softer roast would yield a fantastic fruit that would melt into a piece of bread with a great brie or creamy bleu, or as a component in a grilled Havarti and Granny Smith sandwich. Clearly, we can’t go wrong roasting figs… no matter the texture, there’s always something great to do with them.
The lavender infused honey-balsamic reduction was another revelation! It’s the kind of stuff I lie in bed thinking about at night, mentally combining with other foods. Blended with garlic confit? Oh yeah. A gin-forward cocktail? I’m there. Spooned over very good vanilla ice cream? Pass the spoon, baby.
For this recipe, note that you will need to prepare the honey-lavender dressing for the figs at least 2 hours (or the night before) before roasting the figs.
Ingredients
For the lavender vinaigrette*:
- 89 ml (6 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) white balsamic vinegar
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) orange blossom honey (more to taste)
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) good quality grainy mustard
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried lavender blossoms
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
- Grind of fresh black pepper
For the lavender roasted figs:
- 89 ml (6 tablespoons) orange blossom honey
- 89 ml (6 tablespoons) white balsamic vinegar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried lavender buds
- Pinch of sea salt
- 15 figs, washed and blotted dry, stem end snipped a bit then sliced in half lengthwise
*Yields about 230 ml (1 scant cup). Adapted from https://www.food.com/recipe/lavender-salad-dressing-63379
Preparation
- For the lavender vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until emulsified.
2. For the lavender roasted figs: At least 2 hours before roasting the figs, or the night before, shake honey, vinegar, lavender, and salt together in a small jar and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Preheat oven to 177°C (350°F). Lightly spray a baking dish with olive oil and arrange figs inside. Drizzle the lavender mixture over the figs, trying to hit each one.
4. Roast until the figs just relax, but are not mushy, about 12 minutes. While the figs are warm, gently scrape the lavender buds off the fruit, to avoid the potentially soapy taste of buds eaten whole. The figs will have a great lavender note, even without the buds.
5. Carefully transfer the figs to a plate and strain the buds from the honey-balsamic reduction that remains in the baking dish. Drizzle a little of the reduction onto the figs, if you’d like, and reserve the rest for another purpose.
2 thoughts on “Lavender Roasted Backyard Figs”
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Sara C. Landfear
Sara Cauthen Landfear lives in Norfolk, Va, with her husband, adult-adjacent son and daughter, and pet pig. Her favorite times are with raucous gaggles of people crammed around her dining room table. Launching from a kitchen that’s both messy and therapeutic, she celebrates life, from the mundane to the sublime. Her Instagram food blog is https://www.instagram.com/thebrokengreenplate/
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Sara is so talented. I would follow any recipe of hers. I can’t wait to try this one!
This recipe sounds so scrumptious, I’m definitely going to try it. Tis the season with figs in full season. That’s a great trip to remove the lavender buds to prevent any soapy taste. I’m a sensitive taster and would likely taste soap if it was there. That’s what I love about Sara’s recipes and practicality, she always includes thoughtful and useful techniques and suggestions to be make it beyond superb. She’s excellent, I love her page, it’s very beautiful and inspirational.