The Bree/Brie Project

After watching Julie & Julia on Friday, I couldn't possibly bring Fritos and onion dip to the party we were invited to on Saturday.

I went to Harvest Time for my usual produce, and there they were. Purple figs in season and on sale! I'm not much of a fig person, but I do have this baked cheese stuffed fig recipe in my pocket. It's ridiculously easy and always a hit at get-togethers. So I bought the figs. We went to Whole Foods to get some cheese, and there I found green figs. We consulted the cheese guy (who whistles beautiful harmonies to the hard rock radio station blaring in the back of the cheese dept), and he immediately suggested brie. Well of course that would work. Brie goes with everything. Last time I made this recipe, I stuck to only very mild white cheeses, and was thrilled when he suggested a stinky blue cheese, and strong smoked gouda. He then admitted that he'd never eaten a baked fig with cheese. I promised to bring him the leftovers. Empty promises. I knew there'd be no leftovers.

You really don't need a lot of cheese to do this. We bought way too much, but can you ever have too much cheese in the house? Side note: Marky and I have cut out dairy (except for the occasional creamer in the coffee) for over a month. The cheese in the fridge is calling to me. All you have to do is spray a cookie sheet with oil, cut each fig in half, scoop the guts out with a melon baller, and place a chunk of cheese in there. Only scoop out a small section. If you go crazy scooping, your fig will disintegrate in the oven, and you want some of that purple color to frame the cheesy goodness. Also, just like filling muffin cups, use a little less than you think you need. These figs can turn into a real mess if you have cheese bubbling over the sides. Aw heck, if you want a crapload of gouda, go for it.

When every fig is filled, place the cookie sheet into a hot broiler, and keep an eye on it. I didn't let this batch get terribly brown. I just warmed them until the cheese melted. If you have a not-so-trustworthy broiler like mine, you could take it a step further and brown the tops with a créme brulée torch.

Try this with your fave cheese. We've also used goat cheese, mozarella, and cheddar. It's a lovely seasonal treat, and a crowd-pleaser.