18
Jul

Grilled Figs with Balsamic Glaze and Goat Cheese

Grilled Fig halves topped with balsamic glaze and goat cheese.

What do food trucks and antique shopping have in common? Shopping makes me hungry and this experience gave me inspiration for this delicious Grilled Figs with Balsamic Glaze and Goat Cheese recipe!

We have the largest antique fair in all of Nothern California just 20 minutes away, so last weekend a group of my friends woke up at the crack of dawn and headed over. I had no idea what to expect.

The aisles go on forever and there's hundreds of vendors set up ready to sell their vintage treasures. After 3 solid hours of winding up and down aisles, our stomaches were asking to be fed, so we found our way out of the maze and onto the sidelines where dozens of food trucks line the perimeter.

Unfortunately, there were no Paleo food trucks to be found, or even a gluten-free truck. But there were a lot of promising menu items that I knew I could modify a bit to fit within my dietary needs. After carefully inspecting all of the choices and being tempted to order one of everything, we settled at the Greek truck. There was a family of 4 inside grilling everything to order and the smells were divine. I order a Greek Gyro minus the pita and dolmas. The lamb was unbelievably flavorful and tender, especially from being cooked on a tiny grill in a claustrophobic food truck. I'm amazed at the quality of food that these chefs can put out with such restricted space and tools at their disposal!

My sister ordered grilled figs and asked if I wanted to split them and I immediately said “no” because my association with figs is not appetizing. I remember them as fig nutons where the sweetness overpowers the fruit. I reluctantly tried one and they were incredible. Soft from the grill and packed full of flavor. They drizzled balsamic over them and finished it with a sprinkle of feta. This is my interpretation of this delicious food truck delicacy.

Enjoy!

Grilled Figs with Balsamic Glaze and Goat Cheese



AUTHOR:

SERVES: 16

Cuisine: Greek

Category: Appetizers

PREP TIME: 20 mins

COOK TIME: 6 mins TOTAL TIME: 26 mins

Ingredients:

  • 8 fresh black mission figs, halved
  • ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar*
  • ½ tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

*Make sure to find a good quality balsamic vinegar with no added sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your grill to medium-low heat, about 300 degrees.
  2. Brush the inside half of the fig with the olive oil, then place them face down on the grill. Grill for 6-7 minutes, until they are slightly browned and soft to the touch.
  3. Meanwhile, bring your vinegar to a boil in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, until a syrup has formed.
  4. Stir in the honey, whisking until incorporated. Remove from heat and let it thicken for 5 minutes.
  5. Arrange the figs on a platter skin-side down. Drizzle with the glaze and goat cheese.
  6. Serve hot.


Keywords: egg free, gluten free, nut free, scd, side dish, snacks, vegetarian, appetizer, easy, cocktails