Mission Figs Flameado

Preheat oven to 350°F. In heavy skillet, cook bacon over med-high heat until browned but not too crisp; cool and cut each slice into 4 pieces.

Remove and discard stems from figs. Trim a thin slice from the bottom of each fig so that it will stand upright; cut each fig horizontally in half. Without removing seeds, slice jalapeno crosswise into 8 round slices. (For spicy bites, cut slices thick; for milder bites, cut very thin slices.) Slice cheese about 1/4-in. thick; cut slices into 8 pieces, each about 1/2-in. square.

Arrange bottom half of figs on well-oiled baking sheet. Layer each half with slice of cooked bacon, slice of jalapeño and square of cheese; replace top half of each fig and press together lightly.

Place baking sheet in 350°F oven; bake for about 15 min. or until cheese has melted. Very carefully transfer figs to serving dish, and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Insert decorative skewers or picks in center of each fig and serve warm.