Grilled figs with feta, honey & walnuts

This is a dish we go back to every year. It’s simple, but the flavour that comes from grilling the fig leaves is unparalleled. The idea is not to eat the leaf, but to open the parcel and use it to scoop out warm morsels of runny feta to eat with juicy, slightly smoky figs.

SERVES 4 as a starter PREP 5 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V 4 large fig leaves or vine leaves 200g feta, cut into 4 equal slices 4 thyme sprigs

6 large figs (or 8 smaller ones), halved

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp honey

80g walnuts, toasted small bunch of parsley, leaves only, to serve

1 Wash the fig or vine leaves well in hot water and lay them, shiny-side down, on a board. Put a slice of the feta and a thyme sprig in the centre of each. Fold the leaf over (as if wrapping a gift) to seal in as much of the cheese as you can and turn over so the parcel doesn’t open up. 2 Brush the figs with some of the olive oil. Heat a large griddle pan until it’s very hot and add the figs, cut-side down. Cook for 4-5 mins until golden, soft and sticky. Turn the figs and cook for 1 min more to soften the skin, then transfer the figs to a warm plate. Put the feta parcels, fold-side down, in the pan and cook for 4 mins. Carefully flip the parcels and cook for 2 mins more. They should be charred a little but the leaves should still be intact.

3 Put one feta parcel on each plate with three of the fig halves, then drizzle over the honey and the remaining oil. Season and scatter over the walnuts and parsley leaves to serve.

GOOD TO KNOW calcium • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 388 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 9g • carbs 16g • sugars 16g • fibre 3g • protein 12g • salt 1.3g