dig the fig

Whether fresh or dried, figs have long been prized for their promise of sweetness. Of all fruits, figs contain the most sugar, which may explain why they have been honored for centuries as aphrodisiacs and symbols of abundance, understanding, and love. Versatility is a great descriptor of this fruit, whether baked, roasted, stewed, dipped or stuffed this fruit can take many forms and pairs well with sweet or savory dishes.

I’ve been playing around with some different recipes for fig jam and have come up with a deliciously sweet preserve that uses only tender, hand-harvested fruit picked at the peak of ripeness, a touch of citrus, a spicy kick from black peppercorns and then topped off with cognac. The result is an earthy sweet jam with a bright fruit character.

This is a natural to pair with an aged sheep’s milk cheese, spread over a roasted pork loin, poured on top of ice cream or even spooned over ricotta pancakes at breakfast.

No matter which culinary vehicle you choose to serve with this fig jam, it is well worth the effort.

Enjoy!
Shannon



Drunken Fig Jam
makes 3-  ½ pints

2 lb. black mission figs, stemmed, cut into ½ inch pieces
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups sugar
¼ cup Cognac or brandy
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp. black peppercorns placed in cheesecloth “purse”

Zest (yellow part only) and juice the lemon. Combine figs, zest, lemon juice, sugar, Cognac, orange juice and the “purse” of black peppercorns into a heavy large deep saucepan. Bring fig mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced by half, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture to crush the larger fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the peppercorn purse and take off the heat.

Ladle mixture into 3 ½ -pint sterilized glass canning jars, leaving ¼ -inch space at the top of the jars. Remove any air bubbles using a chopstick or skewer. Wipe jar threads and rims with a clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Cool jars completely, store in a cool dark place up to 1 year.

in the eye of the beholder

I think we’ve been trained to think that anything ugly can’t be good. This is especially wrong when looking at figs. They have to be gushy, ugly and soft before they’re good.

Most figs we find in the grocery stores are picked too early; they need to ripen on the tree because they won’t ripen off of it. But growers who sell through farmers’ markets can pick their figs dead-ripe and count on finding customers who don’t care that the fruit’s not picture-perfect.

The harvesting of figs is not an easy task, and probably the main reason why they are a little pricey. Figs are brutal on workers’ hands because the stems “bleed” latex when it’s cut. The latex so irritates the cuticles and the area under the nails that the pickers have to tape their fingers like football players do. At night, workers soak their hands with medicinal herbs. Usually growers will maintain two crews so no one picks too many days in a row.

Look for figs that are very soft. Black Missions, the typical ones we find here in California are tear drop shaped with a thin purplish-black skin and a slightly reddish flesh, these taste best when they start to shrivel. The small round Kadota fig has a greenish yellow skin with a honey sweet flesh. When ripe they should have a drop of “honey” at the end. Avoid figs with any sign of mold.

Don’t store figs in plastic; they don’t like humidity. Refrigerate them in a paper bag, or better yet on a plate. They should keep a week.

Even though figs are delicious on their own, I have a favorite way to enjoy them for a simple appetizer or in-between meal nibble. Simply halve the figs and put a small knob of goat cheese on top of each one.

Drizzle with a touch of Balsamic Vinegar or Vincotto, then wrap in a thin layer of prosciutto. The tender sweetness of the fig with the tang and creaminess of the goat cheese pairs beautifully with the salty prosciutto.

Remember the season for these little beauties is short so enjoy them while you can!

Enjoy!
Shannon

order up!

So what to have for lunch. I knew I wanted to use up those remaining figs before they shriveled up and ended up in the compost pile. After giving some thought to what would go well with the figs, I decided on some thinly sliced salty prosciutto, with maybe a little Burrata cheese, that lovely fresh mozzarella filled with mascarpone. Burratas’ outer bite is soft and springy while the filling melts in your mouth. This luscious, creamy cheese has a hint of sweetness-the ultimate little surprise package. I also had a jar of an organic Adriatic fig spread in the fridge. It is an outrageously rich preserve that pairs beautifully with many things including pears, blue cheese and walnuts or even fresh goat cheese or aged Manchego, but thought it would go very well with figs (fresh or dried) as well.

The final conclusion, a Panini made from a fresh farmers loaf I get from a local German bakery. I added a drizzle of olive oil to moisten each slice of bread. Put a touch of the fig spread on one slice, and then spread out a generous layer of prosciutto. I hand-tore the Burrata and laid that over the top of the prosciutto then sliced a couple of figs to top it all off.

If you don’t have a Panini press you can make do with a regular skillet and weight it down with another skillet or even a brick wrapped in foil works as well. Cook until cheese melts and the outside is a lovely golden color.



Enjoy!
Shannon

the conclusion

Today I stumbled upon a few precious baskets of figs at my local market. It is definitely the tail end of the season for these lovely fruits, so I was happy to see them.

Figs grow best and produce the best quality fruit in Mediterranean and dryer warm-temperate climates, but are also grown in the Northwest as well. In Southern California the Brown Turkey cultivar is most common. Its’ skin is a purplish brown, and the flesh is a pinkish amber. The matured fruit has a tough peel, often cracking upon ripeness, and exposing the pulp beneath. The interior has a white inner rind containing a seed mass bound with jelly-like flesh. The edible seeds are numerous and generally hollow, unless pollinated. Pollinated seeds provide the characteristic nutty taste of dried figs.
Figs must be allowed to ripen fully on the tree before they are picked. They will not ripen if picked when immature. A ripe fruit will be slightly soft and starting to bend at the neck.
Fresh figs do not keep well and can be stored in the refrigerator for only 2 - 3 days, so enjoy them quickly.