Commentary on Seasonal Menu (see Menus)

The meal was fabulous. The flavors went together well and preparations were relatively easy for such a large menu during the hot summer. Guests favs included the toasts with chipotle, the figs (which people raved about and I ended up making three days in a row), the pork tenderloin and polenta.  When we got to dessert, I thought we'd just pick at it but we ate almost all the dessert.  Guests loved the blueberry bread pudding and asked for the recipe. It's from Cooking Light (I did not exactly follow the recipe, reducing the eggs to 4 whole eggs and 2 egg whites) and the whole milk to skim). 

Here's the fig recipe
6 black mission figs (make sure these are not super ripe and they can even be a bit not ripe)
honey
12 teaspoons goat cheese
6 slices of prosciutto
4-6 oz of baby spinach, arugula or lighter lettuce
2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler.  Cut the stems off the figs and cut off the top until the pink insides are showing. Drizzle honey into the center of the fig (it will be about 1t and some of the honey may leak out).  Broil on a cookie sheet for about 3 minutes until the tops just start to char.  Remove from oven and put on a plate. Let cool.

Clean spinach, spin and toss with 1 T oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.  Put a small pile of greens on 6 plates.

Heat 1 T oil in 10 inch skillet on medium heat.  Fill each fig with 2t goat cheese or as much as will fit (this works best with cold goat cheese. I used three different kinds and all were equally good).  Wrap each fig with prosciutto making sure that the open side is covered completely with the ham.  Set the figs into the hot oil with the open side down first.  Fry each fig for about 2 minutes on each side. They should sizzle. If the cheese starts to come out, remove from the skillet, or turn them so the cheese will stay in.

Place one fig on each plate. Serve with a sharp knife.

Notes: If lots of honey comes out, you may want to drizzle a bit of honey over the salad.