Fresh Fig Recipes

[Salt]

I'm looking for some ideas of what to do with fresh figs.

Also, how do you store fresh figs? Do I need to put them in the fridge?

[Canice]

Here (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=77719) are a few ideas to get you started. I am not a fig fan myself, but really like the crostini I mention on that thread. Maybe it's the grilling??

And here (http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-06-20/food/21917295_1_figs-black-mission-brown-turkey)'s a short article that covers selection and storage.

[PattiA]

This Honey-Roasted Fig Tartine w/Prosciutto is high on my to try list:

http://nourishnetwork.com/2010/07/12/honey-roasted-fig-tartine-with-prosciutto/

http://nourishnetwork.com/files/2010/07/fig-tartines-recipe.jpg

[patt]

Mix cream cheese, chevre, lemon juice and agave nectar in a bowl. (porportionate to your taste) You want about 1/2 cup for 4 people.

Grill figs over direct heat about two minutes each side, just enough to heat up the inside and carmelize the sugars a bit.

Put two figs per person in a bowl, pass the cream sauce. Top with one turn of the pepper mill.

Make appropriate noises of joy.

Patt

[Clover]

I'm going to make the fresh fig ice cream from The Perfect Scoop sometime this week, but I haven't tried it yet. Here are some that I have made and liked.

This zucchini-fig crumble is from the Chocolate and Zucchini Cookbook, and I've made it several times. The first time I made it as written, but I don't really care for mozzarella, so since then I've substituted a combination of fontina and blue cheese (Maytag or Point Reyes), plus the listed parmesan. It's also good made with fuyu persimmons when figs are out of season.

Zucchini Crumble with Figs and Mozzarella
Crumble de Courgettes, Figues & Mozzarella

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lbs zucchini, sliced in 1/4 -inch rounds
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs*
3 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, about 2 oz
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
9 oz mozzarella, preferably buffalo mozzarella
6 ripe medium Black Mission figs, trimmed and cut in sixths

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds, until fragrant. Add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cover, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 6 minutes, until slightly softened. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring gently from time to time, until the rounds are tender but still retain their shape, and most of the juices have evaporated.

2. While the zucchini is cooking, combine the breadcrumbs, butter, Parmesan, and thyme in a bowl. Rub with the tips of your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (The zucchini and the crumb mixture can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated in separate airtight containers.)

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the zucchini over the bottom of a large baking dish. Thinly slice the mozzarella and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the cheese and figs over the zucchini. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the dish and bake for 20 minutes, until heated through and golden.

*To make your own breadcrumbs, either let slices of a country-style loaf dry on the counter for a day or two, or put them on a baking sheet in a 200° oven for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Let cool, grind in a food processor, and store in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 months, or freeze.


This one was originally posted here by tholbrook:

Provence-Style Pearl Couscous with Figs
Serves 4

Couscous, a semolina-based pasta, comes in various sizes. If the pearl couscous is unavailable, use the smaller, quick-cooking variety instead.

1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
4 fresh figs, stems trimmed and quartered
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium-sized onion, minced
1 tsp. dried lavender flowers
1 cup toasted pearl couscous
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Salt to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme plus a sprig for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put the sherry vinegar and brown sugar into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the figs, reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

2. Warm the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and lavender, and cook until the onion is tender, for about 8 minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the couscous until it is well coated with butter. Add the water and salt, and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low and cover. Cook for 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley, thyme, figs and pepper. Add more salt if necessary, garnish and serve.

CLBB-posted by tholbrook, from Vegetarian Times, 01-SEP-04 p49


This was in the New York Times last September, but I just made it for July 4th. It says to cook the onions 30 to 40 minutes, but I had to cook them an hour. I want to put it in my keeper file, but I can't decide what category it should be under. I substituted Marcona almonds for the pine nuts (fear of pine nut mouth, you know.)

Fig Tart With Caramelized Onions, Rosemary and Stilton

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions (1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 sprig rosemary, more for garnish
Pinch sugar
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Flour for dusting
3/4 pound prepared puff pastry
1 pint fresh figs ( 3/4 pound), stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 1/2 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Good-quality honey for drizzling, optional.

1. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions, rosemary and sugar. Cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. Stir in the onions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet.

3. Use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry (let excess egg mixture drip back into bowl), leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. Use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. Gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.

4. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with rosemary needles and drizzled with honey, if desired, warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings.
from the NY Times, 9/30/09

[RiverFarm]

We've tried this recipe and really liked it:


Fresh Fig and Feta Salad With Toasted Walnuts Recipe

5 min | 5 min prep
SERVES 6
24-30 fresh black figs, medium to large
6-9 ounces feta cheese or chevre cheese, Goat's Cheese
9 ounces walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt
black pepper
fresh fig leaf (to garnish)
Toasted Walnuts:.
In a large, heavy frying pan, over a high heat, toast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside to cool.
Vinaigrette:.
Put the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a screw-top jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the mustard and walnut oil, then shake again to emulsify – the emulsion will hold for ten minutes or so, but give it another jiggle just before you use it to dress the salad.
Salad:.
Wipe the fresh figs gently, and cut them in half. Arrange them on a large platter, OR on individual plates - allowing 4 to 5 fresh figs per person, depending on the size.
Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 ozs of crumbled feta or goat's cheese per person, over the top of the fresh figs.
Scatter the chopped,toasted walnuts over the fig salad.
Just before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, and garnish each plate with 1 - 2 fresh fig leaves if available.
Serve with crusty bread and butter.
Can also be served as a dessert/cheese course combined.

[tbb113]

I'm looking for some ideas of what to do with fresh figs.

Also, how do you store fresh figs? Do I need to put them in the fridge?

Open mouth, insert fig, chew, swallow, repeat.

I store them on the counter top because they never last more than two days (regardless of how many I buy :o)

[RiverFarm]

We don't have a storage problem either so far, but if we had a surplus I would refrigerate them. Our fig trees look more promising this year....