297378 Mon Jun 07 17:32:15 -0700 2004 14 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1640738 We bought a house this winter that has 2 mature fig trees...they're starting to drop fruit, and it's clear this year will be a bumper crop! Thing is, DH and I never eat the stuff...it's just not in our food lexicon. I've sliced a few up and they're lovely, but I was thinking that I ought to really find some other uses for them.... I thought maybe you all would have some suggestions for us - I would really appreciate if you all could share with me your favorite use of fresh figs! Mon Jun 07 17:32:15 -0700 2004 0 Deb 1 1640742 1. If in the mood for something savory, my favorite sandwich is taking a good crusty roll and putting sliced figs, prosciutto, fontina cheese, arugula and a light drizzle of olive oil & balsamic. 2. If in the mood for something sweet, try slicing the figs in half, dusting the tops with a small amount of sugar and putting them under the broiler for a few minutes. The carmelized fig flavor is amazing and you'll usually get a bit of fig "juice" that releases from the fruit and collects in the center of the fig half. Mon Jun 07 18:15:55 -0700 2004 1640738 0 L 1 1640746 I could eat figs "out of hand" like mad... but that's not what you're asking, is it ;-) I love a salad made with arugula and some water- or pepper-cress. Top with quartered figs, mild mild goat cheese and perhaps some toasted nuts. a drizzle of good balsamic and olive oil and you're set. You can also make fig vodka - in a gallon jar, fill the bottom 1/4 or 1/5 of the jar with stemmed figs, and pour the vodka over. Let it hang out for a few month. Delightful. Finally, you can make a fig-balsamic syrup. Simmer a bottle of good (not "special") balsamic (i like Fino) with several diced figs. Let it get slightly syrupy. strain to remove the seeds and rebottle - you can use this over vanilla ice cream and it's divine. Speaking of... i am guessing you could make a lovely fig ice cream or granita. The granita might be fun, as long as you strain a bit to get the majority of seeds out. Mon Jun 07 18:25:21 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Fatemeh 1 1640750 In a vegan cookbook I once found a recipe consisting of chopped broccoli rabe, minced fresh garlic, pine nuts and figs sauteed in olive oil. You coarsely chop the figs and add them towards the end of the cooking time so they're heated through. It was really delicious. Mon Jun 07 18:43:55 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Cara 1 1640756 Lucky you! What area of the country? I have a fig tree loaded with new green figs, I hope they rippen. Last year, I had lots of green figs, but only a few got ripe enough to eat. This is the 4th year, so maybe they will do better this year. Here are some ideas. Chill, half or quarter into bite size pieces, and wrap with prosciutto(or any thin sliced salty meat) Cut in half, put a little bleu cheese or cream cheese in the center, and broil(or grill). Slice and put on top of your salad. Old time way-I can remember my grandmother would slice figs(she may have peeled them first) and serve in a bowl with heavy cream. Make fig preserves. I saw a recipe for italian fig bars, but I don't remember where. You could do a google search for fig cake, bars, cookies, etc. sprinkle with a little sugar, let the figs sit at room tempature until they make a little syrup, and serve on ice cream. Mon Jun 07 19:21:43 -0700 2004 1640738 0 em 1 1640761 Can't help myself... "The proper way to eat a fig, in society, is to split it in four, holding it by the stump, and open it, so that it is a glittering, rosy, moist, honied, heavy-petalled four-petalled flower. Then you throw away the skin, after you have taken off the blossom with your lips. But the vulgar way is just to put your mouth to the crack, and take out the flesh in one bite. The fig is a very secretive fruit. The Italians vulgarly say, it stands for the female part; the fig-fruit,the fissure, the yoni, the wonderful moist conductivity towards the centre. Sap that smells strange on your fingers, that even goats won't taste it.... And then the fig has kept her secret long enough. So it explodes, and you see through the fissure the scarlet, and the fig is finished, the year is over. That's how the fig dies, showing her crimson through the purple slit...." .from "Women in Love" - by D. H. Lawrence - (1885 - 1930) Link: http://bistrodraw.com Mon Jun 07 19:40:43 -0700 2004 1640738 0 galleygirl 2 1640771 "Can't help myself..." And I'm so glad you couldn't! Thank you for that. I am going to go home and sweet talk my fig tree and scare the jays away so I can get a few for myself this year! and maybe I'll get out my old college edition of W in L and read a bit...btw, I love your illustrations... Mon Jun 07 20:22:17 -0700 2004 1640761 0 suzannapilaf 3 1640774 Even more fun; rent the 1970 Ken Russell film, and watch the late, great, Alan Bates re-enact the lines...Such an enlightening moment for a young girl ;) Thanks for taking a peek at my work..... Link: http://bistrodraw.com Mon Jun 07 20:41:16 -0700 2004 1640771 0 galleygirl 1 1640780 I had some friends over for dinner last week-end. For dessert, I made a slightly tart raspberry coulis and placed it at the bottom of a shallow bowl, topped with a dollop of creme fraiche and some figs that I had sauteed in a bit of butter and brown sugar so they were a bit caramelized. It was truly yummy and a cinch to prepare. Enjoy your bountiful harvest. Mon Jun 07 21:57:23 -0700 2004 1640738 0 peppermint pate 1 1640812 FIGS FIGS FIGS -- I gathered this batch of fig suggestions last summer from a host of Chowhound postings on figs and a newspaper or two. This should keep you busy for a while. Enjoy! First, cut the stem of the figs and gently open like a flower and put in bowl. If the figs are huge then cut in half. Second, hand tear one bundle of basil leaves. Third, cut up fresh mozzarella (salted please) into one inch cubes. Fourth, tear off shreds of good prosciutto. Fifth, mix up the salad with a dressing made from good olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper (all to your individual taste). It does not need a lot of dressing, but provides a heavenly array of flavors on the plate. This could have been dinner. Stem and cut figs in half lengthwise. Wrap in a half slice of Proscuitto (just to get a single layer of proscuitto), thread wrapped figs on a skewer. Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and grill on low heat, just to heat it through. For dessert, cut fig in half again, and serve with fresh raspberries and honey sweetened mascarpone. A sprinkle of cinnamon in the mascarpone works. Slice figs and serve with premium coffee ice cream with a drizzle of sweetened espresso over it all. Spread half a fig with light Boursain cheese spread and topped it with a walnut. Lots a flavor and the nut stuck to the fig. A little cream cheese and a candied pecan on half a fig was good for a quick summer dessert. Halved and wrapped in thinly sliced pancetta, grilled, and served with bitter greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette with a little balsamico for an extra hit. Halve and bake them at 400 or 425 with honey and orange juice drizzled over. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone or orange whipped cream. Homemade thin crust pizza with fig jam/preserves, cambonzola cheese and proscuitto - amazing!!! Throw the stone on the BBQ and have a pizza with all the summer pizza toppings - tomato, basil, grilled veggies, etc. Quarter figs, grill (or roast) them briefly, then push a small chunk of smoked fresh goat cheese into the fig and wrap with a bit of Serrano ham. The still-warm fig softens the ham slightly. For maximum eyes-rolling-back-in-head action, drizzle with a little real balsamico. Slice them in half. Put them in a toaster oven on dark for one or two cycles to roast them, make sure not to burn them. Use a vegetable grater to shave some Reggiano over them and make a Basalmic reduction and drizzle a little bit over them. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Nutty. Each bite is pure heaven. Serve them warm. Fig Jam 1 lb finely cut unpeeled rhubarb 1/4 lb chopped, stemmed figs 3 tablespoon lemon juice Cover with 1 lb Sugar- let stand for 24 hour. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until thickened. Fig and Gorgonzola Quesadillas I used dried figs but I don't see why fresh would not work as well. Just spread equal amounts of the cheese and chopped figs atop one tortilla and top with another. Brush both sides with a bit of olive oil. Grill over direct heat on both sides just briefly to get grill marks, move away from coals shut lid and heat about 2 to 3 minutes. Roast figs with parma ham and rocket (serves six as a starter) 12 figs, not overripe 12 slices parma ham 500g (1lb 2oz) rocket leaves extra-virgin olive oil squeeze of lemon juice Wrap each fig in a slice of the ham so that it is completely enclosed, and set in an ovenproof dish. Place in a preheated very hot oven (240°C/475°F/gas mark 9) and roast for 8-10 minutes. The ham should be crisp and the fig bursting with juice inside. Dress the rocket with the olive oil and lemon juice - no further seasoning - and arrange in a pile on six plates. Place two figs on each heap and serve as is. Oakleaf, fig and goat's cheese salad (serves six as a starter) While there is nothing particularly autumnal about oakleaf (apart from its appearance) that lovely delicate lettuce with deep red leaves (that can be green rather than red, as it happens) and pale yellow hearts combines beautifully with both figs and cheese. 18 very thin slices of stale baguette or ciabatta 100g (31/2oz) semi-soft goat's cheese 1 tbsp double cream 6 figs 2 heads oakleaf lettuce 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp milled black pepper 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Toast the bread under a hot grill. Mash the goat's cheese with the cream to form a smooth paste and spread this on the croutons. Peel and quarter the figs. Discard any wilted outer leaves of the salad and separate the rest into bite size pieces. Wash tenderly and dry thoroughly. Dissolve the mustard and salt in the vinegar, add the pepper then whisk in the olive oil. Assemble all the ingredients in a salad bowl, croutons on top, pour over the vinaigrette and serve. Baked figs with feta and mint (serves six as a starter, dessert or accompaniment) 6 figs 1 orange 50ml (2fl oz) red wine 25ml (1fl oz) red wine vinegar 100ml (4fl oz) olive oil 1/2 tsp coarsely milled black pepper 100g (4oz) feta cheese 20 leaves of mint Wash the figs and then cut them in half from head to toe (or stem to base) to create a heart shape. Place these halves with the cut side uppermost in an ovenproof dish good-looking enough to bring to the table. Make a marinade with the juice of the orange, the red wine, the vinegar, the olive oil and the pepper, whisking them together very well and then spooning this mixture over each of the figs. Place the dish in a medium hot oven (220°C/425°F/gas mark 7) for 12 minutes, basting once with the marinade from the dish. Cut the feta into 1/2in cubes. Scatter these over the figs and return the dish to the oven for two or three minutes, or until the feta is half-melted on top of the figs. Coarsely chop the mint leaves and scatter over the figs. Baste the figs one more time with the juices from the tray and then let cool for half an hour before serving. Spiced figs (makes three liters, or two large Kilner jars) The thoughtful and well organized will doubtless prepare many jars of these to give to friends at Christmas. If you just want some spiced figs but do not want the bother (such as it is) of preserving jars, simply pour the pickling mixture over some figs in a bowl, cover them with a plate and refrigerate for one week. They are particularly good with cooked ham. 20 fresh figs, ripe but not bursting 500ml (18fl oz) cider vinegar 500g (1lb 2oz) light brown unrefined sugar 1 tsp salt 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thickly sliced 6 cloves corns 1 cinnamon 20 pepperoni stick 1 red chili, sliced 10 thick strips of orange zest (no white pith) 3 bay leaves Sterilize two 1.5 liter (23/4 pint) Kilner jars (preferably the French type with the hinged lid and orange rubber seal) by running them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle. Wash the figs in cold water and place them in the two jars. Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan with 500ml (18fl oz) of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for five minutes and then pour this mixture over the figs, dividing the spices and aromatics as far as possible between the two jars. The figs should be completely immersed and the jars should be very nearly full. Seal the lids. Then cut some slits into several sheets of newspaper and place them, folded, on the bottom of a deep saucepan large enough to hold the two jars. Put the jars in the pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up their sides. Then place the pan on a simmering heat for half an hour. Take off the heat and allow to cool before refrigerating the jars. Check them the next day: the seals should be so tight that they are impossible to lift without using the hinge. The figs will keep very well for six months in the fridge. Tue Jun 08 09:17:29 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Ellen 1 1640842 A couple of nights ago, I baked halved fresh figs in port and honey and then topped with goat cheese. So simple, and really delicious. Tue Jun 08 11:10:56 -0700 2004 1640738 0 lynne campbell 1 1640865 Macerated in sweet wine then baked in claufouti. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/20927#74127 Tue Jun 08 12:25:24 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Melanie Wong 1 1640868 At the link, a recipe from the SF Chronicle last fall. It is delicious and goes well with a bolder style California pinot IMO. Scroll to end of the article to find the recipe. Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/09/17/FDGD71N9SL1.DTL&type=food Tue Jun 08 12:41:42 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Tom Hall 1 1640936 Well, I knew the Chowhounds would know what to do with our figs! By the end of the summer I will have become a fig expert and have my very own fig cookbook...and a whole bunch of fig jam, hopefully. Ellen, some of those suggestions sound heavenly, and easy for the working mom to throw together...perfect! By the way, our trees are in Los Angeles and they are brown turkey figs. They thrive with not much in the way of care, and are gorgeous trees...but if I don't pick up the figs I'm going to have an unholy, ungorgeous mess! galleygirl, that quote was lovely. I have a feeling it might make it onto the wall of our kitchen at some stage. Just to share the wealth, I found a recipe on the hgtv site for a fig chutney that sounds wonderful - I haven't tested it yet so don't take my word for it. But for the adventurous ones out there...which I know includes a lot of you... Thanks guys, you are the best!! Deb Fig Chutney 2 1/2 cups red wine vinegar *1/2 pound light brown sugar *1 onion, chopped *1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger *1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds *1/4 lemon, zested *1/2 cinnamon stick *1 3/4 teaspoons salt *1/4 teaspoon ground allspice *1/8 teaspoon ground cloves *1 1/4 pounds firm, slightly underripe fresh figs, rinsed, stems removed and halved In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, onion, ginger, mustard seeds, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, salt, allspice, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced by 2/3, forming a thick syrup. Add the figs and cook gently until the figs are very soft and beginning to fall apart and most of the liquid they've given off has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chutney to a non-reactive container and allow to come to room temperature before serving. The chutney may be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. (Alternately, hot chutney may be ladled into hot sterilized canning jars and processed in a hot-water bath according to manufacturer's directions.)* Tue Jun 08 16:55:42 -0700 2004 1640738 0 Deb 2 1643509 I know -- I'm really late to this party, but for those of us in the northeast, our figs will be ripening soon. Just cut them up into small pieces and use them instead of any other fruit in pancakes. They don't always come out pretty -- they tend to stick to the griddle which also makes clean-up a problem, but they're so much better than blueberry pancakes. BTW, the easiest way to make the pancakes is to make your favorite batter. Pour it on the griddle. Then add the cut figs. Don't mix them into the batter. Sat Aug 14 21:24:06 -0700 2004 1640936 0 el jefe