Figs - I love them! But we have a surfeit, just for 2 weeks, then no more. We make fig jam, eat them fresh, make fig and frangipane tart and fig tatin, as well as a fig and goat's cheese salad. Has anyone any other suggestions or successful recipies?
We have a rack for doing it in our stove and have considered a dehydrator but the sun-dried one, laid out on old clay tiles with fine netting over to keep the flies, etc off are so delicious...
We’ve got a dehydrator. We dry excess figs, tomatoes etc.
Nigel Slater can cook...
Fig juice. Look at James' juice post or just go for it yourself. We just put very ripe and squashy ones in the blender, pulp them down, put into cotton bags then gradually squeeze. Add some dark, we use muscovado, sugar to taste. We still have some from last year. Our children love it. Our four trees have struggled this year but I think a few are ripening slowly now and we hope to get enough to replenish the supply. We also eat them northern Italian style, with dry smoked ham. Next time we get a good and early crop I am going to try natural drying, the heatwave would have been ideal.
Grilled figs brushed with honey and lime served with roast pork,rabbit dishes
or venison.
stuffed fig with blue cheese and walnuts lightly grilled.
Nigel Slater's Fig Chutney - Beautiful - eat with your fromage all year round x
Fig chutney
MAKES 2 LARGE JARS
soft brown sugar 250g
figs 8 large, about 1kg
malt vinegar 150ml
cider vinegar 150ml
onions 250g, roughly chopped
sultanas 250g
salt 1 tsp
allspice 1 tsp
black peppercorns ½ tsp, cracked
coriander seeds 1 tsp
Warm the sugar in a bowl in a low oven. Roughly chop the figs, removing any tough stalks, then put them in a large, stainless steel or enamelled pan. Add the vinegars, onions, sultanas, salt, allspice, peppercorns and coriander seeds, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes until the onions and fruit are soft.
Stir in the sugar. Place over a low heat, bring slowly to the boil, then turn the heat down so the chutney bubbles gently. Leave for 10-15 minutes, with the occasional stir to stop it sticking, until the mixture is thick and jam like. Bottle while hot and seal.