Cool down with a roasted fig sundae

I learned this process for roasting figs at Chez Panisse. We’d cook them in the big, wood-fired pizza oven, use the remaining liquid as a base for a vinaigrette and serve the figs leaning up against a whole grilled quail. I’ve adapted that recipe to be made under a hot broiler, and — since it’s so dang hot out these days — used the roasting juices to make a sweet, summery sauce that’s drizzled over each layer of a cartoonishly large roasted fig sundae.

Roasted fig sundae

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the pecans on a small baking sheet, and bake until fragrant and light tan on the inside, 6 to 8 minutes. Once cool, roughly chop the pecans, then toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Taste, adding more salt if needed.

Assemble your figs for roasting: In an oven-safe, stainless steel frying pan, arrange the fig leaves, thyme and bay as a little bed for your fruit. Place the figs on top of the bed, on their backs, so that the cut sides are facing up. Splash the figs with the red wine, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the remaining teaspoon of salt.

Set the oven to a high broil and broil the figs until juicy, slightly puffed and just barely browned around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the figs to a plate and set aside to cool.

Then remove the fig leaves and herbs from your pan and discard, leaving behind the roasting juices. Make a sundae sauce by mixing the warm roasting juices with the honey until combined.

In a big, pretty bowl, assemble your sundae, working in layers. First some figs, then several scoops of the ice cream, a drizzle of the syrup and a light stream of olive oil, pecans and a big pinch of flaky salt. Repeat until you run out of ice cream and figs.

Enjoy with friends or alone on a sad, late summer night.