Almost all figs in the United States come from California and we often find them available in our own backyards during the summer months and into Fall. Lately we've been picking figs at a neighbor's house and I've been poaching them to serve at our restaurant. Poaching them lightly in rich caramel and chocolate tones of porter beer highlights the sweetness of the figs. The addition of the tangy yet lightly sweetened goat cheese complements the figs and syrup in a surprisingly uplifting way.

Ingredients

3 cups porter style beer
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
peel of 1 orange
1 t black pepper corns
16 ripe mission figs
1 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Bring beer, honey, brown sugar, orange peel, and peppercorns to a boil. Simmer for ten minutes. Add figs and reduce heat to medium low. Allow figs to poach for 4 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon and let cool. Reduce beer mixture to 1/3rd so that about 1 1/2 cups of syrup remain. Remove orange peel and let cool.

For the goat cheese mixture, soften goat and cream cheese by allowing it to sit at room temperature. Mix in mixer with whip attachment. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream. Mix until evenly incorporated.

Slice figs in half and arrange them on a plate with a dollop of the goat cheese mixture. Drizzle with syrup and garnish.