WHAT TO DO WITH FRESH FIGS

We’ve been picking a basket of figs a day. This gorgeous, sweet fruit, a voluptuary’s delight, is divine plucked straight from the tree, consumed warm from the sun. But it also slots into any menu, raw or cooked, savory or sweet.  

Yes, you can eat the skin. I tried peeling the figs for a mousse recipe, hoping they would keep that lovely pink color of the interior (those pink fibers are actually tiny flowers). But no, the resulting puree was golden. 

Fresh figs are highly perishable. Keep them refrigerated in a tray lined with fig leaves or paper towels. Fiber-rich figs are a healthy addition to the daily diet. Here are some of the ways I've been enjoying them, day in and day out. (See the list at the bottom for links to more fresh fig recipes. If what you want are recipes with dried figs, use Search in the little window in the upper left corner.)

Fig and Melon Salad. 

This elegant salad is quick to assemble. Place sliced figs and paper-thin strips of sweet melon on a bed of salad greens. Scatter crumbled queso fresco (fresh goat cheese) or feta cheese and chopped almonds or cashews on top. Add a few leaves of basil. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and Sherry or PX vinegar. Sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Snack supreme: crunchy tortita de maiz (corn cracker) with cream cheese and sliced figs plus a basil leaf. Or thyme. Or mint. Or tarragon. Variation on a PBJ: peanut butter-fig. Spread peanut butter on whole-grain toast, top with sliced figs (better than jelly!). Add crisp bacon if desired. 

 

Figs with Ham.  A classic combo, sweet figs with salty cured ham. In this case it's ibérico ham. Combine ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons Málaga muscatel vinegar (or balsamic). Brush slices of toasted bread with the dressing and lay the ham on the toasts. Top with sliced figs. Scatter diced goat cheese over the figs. Drizzle a little dressing over the figs.

Fig Compôte. I'm making a big pot of this compôte. The quartered figs get extra flavor with vanilla bean, cardamon, lemon juice, and orange peel. You'll need a little liquid (water or wine) to keep the figs from scorching. Use the compôte with ice cream, with breakfast cereal, on a cheese board. Freeze the compôte in portions for future use. Turn the compôte into chutney, using vinegar, ginger, chile, and pickling spices instead of sweet spices. (I've got 3 portions of frozen compôte and four jars of chutney!)

Turkey Nuggets with Fig-Peppercorn Sauce. Chunks of turkey are floured and fried in olive oil. To the remaining oil, add whole, quartered or sliced fresh figs and sauté a few minutes. Add a spoonful of drained green peppercorns, and a medium-sweet wine. Cook, stirring, until slightly reduced. Pour the sauce with figs over the turkey. This sauce is also good with chicken tenders or sliced pork loin.

Frozen Fig Tart. Recipe for this luscious tart is in last week's blog. It will also make individual puddings (not frozen) if layered in dessert cups. 

We have picked nearly all the figs within reach from this sprawling fig tree just below my bedroom window. The remaining fruit is for the birds. 

More recipes with fresh figs (use Search for dried fig recipes):

Hot Gazpacho with Figs

Salad with Grilled Chicken and Figs With Ajo Blanco Sauce

Grilled Figs and Bacon

Spicy Fig Salsa 

Chunky Fig BBQ Sauce

Fig Ice Cream

Fresh Fig Frozen Yogurt

Fig Mousse

Figgy Fritters 

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Figs were much extolled in Moorish Spain when they were a source of sweetness before sugar was widely available. My cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, has several recipes with figs, both fresh and dried. One recipe (pictured) is for a gazpacho with no tomatoes! It contains figs, oranges, and lettuce. See this post for a version of it and some suggestions on how to enjoy recipes from the book adapted to your own style of cooking.

 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times.  (Hippocrene Books)    

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