Pyrenees-Style Roasted Figs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
18 small purple figs, slightly overripe
1/4 cup sugar, plus
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup shelled walnuts
1 tablespoon honey
1 lemon, juice of (optional)
fresh ground pepper (optional)
creme fraiche or sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400\u00b0.
Butter a shallow, flameproof baking dish.
Place figs in dish side by side, stems up; sprinkle with 1/4 c sugar and 1 tablespoon water.
Bake on oven's center rack for 20 minutes, basting figs from time to time with syrupy juices in the dish.
Add walnuts and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.
Lower oven temperature to 300\u00b0 and bake 10 minutes longer.
Carefully transfer figs and walnuts to serving dish; drizzle with honey.
At serving time, spoon syrup over figs.
They are delicious as is; to enhance further, sprinkle with lemon juice and a grinding of pepper.
Serve cold with creme fraiche or softly whipped cream, if desired.