Jude:
Fresh, ripe, right off the tree !!!
Do you have to cover the Fig tree in Winter ???

My Grandfather had 2 trees about 20 feet high.
That was my job in the late fall and plant all the tomatoes, etc. in the Spring.

LOU

I like to cut them up fresh and mix them with some plain Greek yogurt drizzled with buckwheat honey.

Split the figs, curl round some slices of dried ham and drizzle a dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt and pepper. Yum.

Lou - No, I don't cover the tree although a few limbs don't make it through the winter.

Petaloid - I haven't heard of buckwheat honey but I confess honey is not a favorite of mine.

Islay - Looks like honey goes well with figs. I have been eating them with just proscuitto and they're very good that way. Just looking for alternatives, though. I'll try that.

Thanks, y'all.

jude

Fresh figs are wonderful on the grill. Brush lightly with olive oil so they don't stick & grill just until you've got good grill marks. You are so lucky to have your own tree!

/tricia

No clue, I've never had a fresh fig, they are too fragile to ship and don't survive in Michigan so I can't grow any unless I build a greenhouse!

However, I love Cathy/Mustang's salad with figs, proscuitto and parmesan. I use spinach for the greens, and I've never fund someone who didn't love it. I use dried figs, but I'll bet you could just as easily use fresh ones.

After that I'd make fig filled cookies, like craftyrn's cucciadati.

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan

4 tbls olive oil

2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips

1 tbls raspberry jam

3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tbls finely chopped shallot

5 cups baby arugula

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.
2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, � tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt. Divide salad among individual plates; top with portion of prosciutto, walnuts, and Parmesan.

It's yummy, I may have to buy some dried figs and make this next week. I'd do it for supper but I'll have to take a drive to Big Rapids, no proscuitto OR dried figs in White Cloud, so I'll have to plan ahead!

Annie

Annie

Yeah Annie, I thought about my friend Cathy's recipe and I had the good fortune to receive a bottle of the Fig Balsamic vinegar from her. The texture of fresh versus dried is totally different and I didn't want to screw up a good recipe. Have you used greens other than arugula? Not real fond of the bitter taste.

Good idea about grilling, Tricia. That would certainly be easy enough. Plus, "What's His Name" doesn't like figs so I could make them only for me!

jude

I keep thinking of grilled cardinal stuffed with figs and nuts

Jude, I'm not so fond of arugula either, so I usually use spinach, although I occasionally find a package of "mixed baby greens" to use instead.

Hey, I figured if dried figs were good in a fresh green salad, the fresh ones would only be better!

Annie

Silly me. I should have known you'd have the best suggestion, Jessy! I love the way you think.

jude

I was going to ask this same question. There's way too many to eat them all fresh and people can only eat so much jam.

I made a sauce for pork with our first figs Thursday. Puree onion, figs, roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, honey - simmer until bubbly and thick. No recipe, just did it. It was yummy. I liked it enough to make more and freeze it in baggies to use later. I think I will try some other flavor combos, too.

I would like to just freeze them whole but keep coming across the same weird instructions about freezing them in sugar water but we don't eat much sugar so I'm not going to do that. These figs are totally sweet enough.

Off to pick another peck...

Evil grin back at Jude!

I was just reading about drying figs in the oven; I don't have a dehydrator and am not thinking about buying one and I'm not sure I could keep my oven at the suggested temperature (140 degrees). The tree is loaded and I don't mind sharing with Mr. Cardinal but he always picks the best ones!

Do a search on making "fig wine"

dcarch

dcarch, I did a search and immediately determined that I don't speak winese and it's much too complicated for me. Guess I'll keep eating them with proscuitto, maybe a little honey or goat cheese or maybe put them in a salad. On the other hand, I'm still open to other suggestions/recipes.

Oops, I forgot! I still need to stuff that cardinal with figs and nuts and throw him on the grill!

Thanks.

jude

Mash some cream cheese with a tablespoon or so of dry sherry. Halve the figs, and put a dollop of the cream cheese mixture on top, then serve forth.

I've turned fig haters into fig lovers with this starter.

purpleinopp,
I use the same combination to roast with chicken, though I don't puree first.

jude31,
With our fresh figs, I also make this appetizer:

Take 1 sheet of puff pastry, place on baking sheet. Spread a mixture of goat cheese and mascarpone cheese (about 1/2 and 1/2). Top with sliced fresh figs. Drizzle with honey (or a reduction of balsamic vinegar or sweet dessert wine). Bake at 400 degrees until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

And every year, without fail, I make this fig butter:

FIG BUTTER

500g figs, stems removed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup port
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp grated orange zest
dash of vanilla extract

2 Tbs unsalted butter

Place the figs in a blender and blend to a pulp.
Cook fig pulp in a saucepan for 30 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add sugar, port, juice, zest and vanilla and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir through butter.

I use this on fresh biscuits or toast, but I also use it as a filling/spread for Oly's shortbread for my own "fig newtons".

This year I was going to try modifying a really good lemon-zucchini-yogurt bread recipe to use fresh chopped figs. I don't have a recipe for it yet though. My figs won't be ripe for another month.

In anticipation of fig season, I bookmarked this booklet of fig recipes (both fresh and dried). Fig chutney, fig upside down cakes, fig basalmic glaze over brie, warm fig and thyme crisp (but use my fig butter as the filling) --- they all sound good to me!
Ann

Here is a link that might be useful: California Fig Fest Recipes

Recent cruise to Alaska, and had the pleasure of figs on the breakfast buffet

ann, homemade fig newtons sound delicious. I'd make Diane's (craftyrn) cucciadati, it calls for dried figs too, but I'll bet it could easily be converted to fresh figs. I'd just leave out the water and simmer the fresh figs with the raisins, then add the rest of the filling ingredients:

Cuccidati Recipe
================
Crust:
3/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
rind of 1 orange
4 teaspoons orange juice
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
1 string of figs
8 ounces raisins
8 ounces brown sugar
1 pound walnuts
1 pound dates
1 orange
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 ounces whiskey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups water
Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces butter
orange juice
. .
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Crust: In large bowl, cream together first 3 ingredients. Add orange juice and orange rind. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture along with vanilla.

Filling: Prepare several days ahead of time. In a food grinder, grind figs and raisins. In large saucepan, simmer raisins and figs with brown sugar and water for 15 minutes. Grind walnuts, dates, and orange. Stir into hot mixture along with cinnamon, black pepper, and whiskey. Remove
from stove, mix well, cover, and let mellow for 3 days. Note: This recipe makes enough filling for 2 batches of crust and can be divided and frozen for up to six months.
Roll dough into 3" wide strips on pastry cloth. Lay filling down the center and wrap dough to form a long "sausage-like" cookie. Roll back and forth until crust seems very thin. Cut in diagonal about every 1 1/2 inches. Place on cookie sheet close together and bake for 10-13 minutes. Cookies should be barely brown. Cool and store in tins 5 days, then frost.

Frosting: In medium bowl, mix together margarine and powdered sugar until well blended. Add enough juice to make a thick glaze. Top cookies with a thin coat. Let frosting dry a couple of hours then store in tins as follows.

To Store: Line tins with foil, place a layer of cookies, then a layer of wax paper (NOT plastic wrap). Keep repeating, ending with foil and then the lid.

Diane's notes:

I usually just dust with confectioners sugar tho the frosted ones are good too.

I always end up with extra filling even tho I make 2 batches of dough. The extra filling I use in Thumbprint cookies. Can be frozen .

It's also good mixed with cream cheese as a spread for bagels or English muffins or as a basis for Sugar Plums.

It looks like a lot of steps, but the filling can be made in advance and frozen. I never wait 5 days before frosting them either, and they store really well. I've made the filling and the dough and frozen both, then put the cookies together just before Christmas. They are definitely best with frosting, IMO.

Annie

I have a friend who candies her figs and then packs them in jars with sherry. Then for entertaining she drains the figs, splits them and fills them with a dollop of cream cheese. Very yummy!

Love these ideas!

Just wanted to mention that I asked my family if they'd like to try fig ice cream and everyone was totally thumbs-up, so will be attempting that this weekend.

Colleenoz, I'd like to know more specifics about the candying and packing them in sherry. Refrigerated? And if so how long would they keep. Sounds like a good thing to be able to pull out for the holidays.

I'd like to hear from anyone about the subbing of fresh figs for dried figs in recipes.

Thanks,

jude

/I am 56 years old and have never had a fresh fig,do you believe that?I got them at store already usually rotten.

Jude, I'm working away from home at the moment but I'll try to post the recipe when I get home Sunday night. Basically you simmer the figs in sugar syrup then dry them on racks. In the sherry they last over a year unrefrigerated.

My, oh my, Colleenoz...sounds yummy!

jude

Hmmm...I wonder how they would do in Port.

Caramelized in a pan with brown sugar and butter, then sprinkled with goat cheese. Mmmmm. :-)

I've been curious to try fresh figs for a while now. I believe it was on another recent thread that people said they're only good if pretty much picked that day. So can I assume that it would it be a total waste of $4.99 to buy 8oz of figs that traveled clear across the country from CA before it hitting the local shelves? Or would I at least get an idea of what the excitement's all about?

FOAS, fresh figs turned up at a local small family produce place last week in the clam packs, also $4.99. DH bought a package for me as a treat. They were soft but not sweet, basically awful, picked well before their sugars had developed.

Here's a picture of a snack I made for myself a few years back after a morning of bread baking. See how the figs are sorta darkish purple on most of the fruit...the ones DH bought in the clam pack were mostly green only showing a little darkenng. They should also be quite soft but with some firmness. When you take a bite, the insides should just melt in your mouth.

/tricia

Lorraine's Candied Figs

6lbs figs
3 cups boiling water
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar

Make a syrup with the water,sugar and vinegar. Bring syrup to the boil and put in whole washed figs. Simmer gently for two hours. Take the figs out of the syrup, spread on a wire rack or tray and dry in a shaded, warm dry place for 4 to 5 days. (Lorraine used a large sort of cupboard with sides made of insect screening.) Turn after 2 days.
Pack in layers in baking paper, you can roll them in superfine sugar before packing if desired.
Lorraine also packed them in jars and poured sherry over them. Leave for about a week before using. If you leave them in the sherry a _really_ long time (like about a year :-) ) the sherry turns to a sort of jelly, so don't leave them in the sherry too long :-)

Well, I finally found fresh figs. At Whole Foods, $3.49 for a box of 5. They were dark purple/brown, but still didn't taste really like much of anything.

the insides were soft but seedy and didn't have much of a sweet or definable flavor. Someday I'll be somewhere they are grown while they are in season and then I'll try the REAL ones!

Annie

Colleen, thank you so much for the recipe. The fig production is way down since the resident raccoon joined forces with the cardinal so I may have enough to make only a third of the recipe right now. That will be easy enough to decipher!!!

I'm looking forward to having a brand new "fig recipe".

Thanks again.

jude

Made fig preserves this afternoon

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