What:
3 to 4 fresh pears, ripe but firm
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup dried Mission Figs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
How:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 1/4 sugar, 3/4 water and 1 teaspoon vanilla to a boil. Set aside. Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Cut out cores.
- Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, add figs and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Remove figs from water and place on plate. Mash figs with a fork. Mix in 1 tablespoon honey and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
- In a cast iron skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place pears, cut side down into the skillet and saute until brown. Turn pears over and saute for a few more minutes. Add a dollop of the fig mixture to the core of each pear. Pour the vanilla syrup mixture over the pears. Bake the pears in the cast iron skillet until they are soft and tender, about 30 minutes. Spoon the vanilla syrup over the pears twice during baking. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.