Figs

[pedie]

A friend gifted me with a good sized container of fresh mission figs from her tree. I am looking for some interesting new ways to use them. In the past I have made fig cake, or a fig compote to serve with a pork dish, or I have stuffed chicken breasts with a mixture of fig & goat cheese. I would like to try something new. Does anyone have a unique way to use this bountiful gift??

[srhcb]

fig ice cream

SB (or maybe trade somebody from MN who likes figs for some wild rice?)

[Dana329]

A friend gifted me with a good sized container of fresh mission figs from her tree.  I am looking for some interesting new ways to use them.  In the past I have made fig cake, or a fig compote to serve with a pork dish, or I have stuffed chicken breasts with a mixture of fig & goat cheese.  I would like to try something new.  Does anyone have a unique way to use this bountiful gift??

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I saw Giada DeLaurentis on the Today show and she halved the figs, spread them with goat cheese, wrapped them in proscuitto and ran them under the broiler. I have been thinking about them ever since. So simple, but I can taste the flavors in my mind!

[suzilightning]

fig jam

fig tatin

and my favorite - figs stuffed with a blue cheese, wrapped with prosciutto di san danielle and in a 400 oven for 5-8 minutes for dessert

[FistFullaRoux]

They make wonderful preserves by simply cooking them down with sugar, then filling sterilized jars. It'll keep for years, and they were an essential part of my upbringing.

Try those preserves in a bowl of cornbread and milk. I had that for breakfast many times growing up.

[Luckylies]

Surround them with ricotta.wrap them in procutto, eat them in bundles. yum.

[pedie]

Surround them with ricotta.wrap them in procutto, eat them in bundles. yum.

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That sounds great. Thanks

Thanks to everyone for all the other suggestions as well. I, too, am salivating over the figs, with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and passed under the broiler. The fig jam is also tempting.

I have to act quickly because they do not keep long.

[Qwerty]

You could also just simply roast them in a saute pan with some butter and some honey. Figs are good by themselves, so a simple roast just accentuates the sweetness of the figs.

[ChefJohnny]

At my restaurant, we are blessed with a great old fig tree in our courtyard that we look forward to every spring/summer. We always make fig marmalade. We also do a great amuse bouche of caramelized figs with parmesan reggiano, port redux, creme fraiche and vanilla powder. Our guest really love to watch us damn near climb this tree and then serve them the figs that I just risked my life for. Anyway, for those interested Ill give you guys the recipe for the marmalade:

Fig Marmalade

100 g Shallots, minced

250 g Red onion, minced

1 kg Figs, 1/4" dice

200 g Red wine vinegar

100 g Sugar

1/4# Butter, unsalted

-Sweat shallots and onion in butter

-Add figs and saute

-Deglaze with vinegar

-Add sugar -> make gastrique -> reduce/cook to proper consistency

-Spread on sheet pan and cool

Note: we reduce ours pretty far so that we can quenelle it, but its up to you.

-Chef Johnny

[prasantrin]

Prior to cooking a fig, how does one choose a good one? I was at the supermarket buying my weekly dose of figs. Almost all the shoppers were passing over the boxes, complaining about them. I figured the ones with split bottoms weren't so good, but I decided to pick a few up--heavy ones must be better than light ones, I thought. But one of those typical busy-body old ladies scolded me and then inserted herself in my very small space, so I had no choice but to leave (without any more figs).

Gourmet Traveller says, "When choosing figs, look for ripe ones which are slightly yielding to the touch but not mushy. Also, the base should look moist – dryness indicates the fig is past its prime."

That means one should be able to touch them, doesn't it? It's not like I was man-handling them. I was delicately picking them up and just as delicately returning them.

So can I pick up a fig? And if not, what other methods (other than looking at the bases) can I use to choose a good one?

Edited September 14, 2008 by prasantrin (log)

[Margo]

So the smarty-pants old lady didn't offer any advice?

I'd be wary of fishing fruit out of boxes if they'd been pre-packed for sale, in pints say, for fear of having my hand slapped. In that case, I've looked for fruits without blemishes, splits, fuzz, or oozing, as far as I could see, and crossed my fingers.

[prasantrin]

So the smarty-pants old lady didn't offer any advice? 

I think her inserting herself in my space was her advice--if you don't know how to choose a fig, you don't belong here!

I'd be wary of fishing fruit out of boxes if they'd been pre-packed for sale, in pints say, for fear of having my hand slapped. In that case, I've looked for fruits without blemishes, splits, fuzz, or oozing, as far as I could see, and crossed my fingers.

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I guess that's what I'll be doing from now on! At least when there are other people around...