Slice figs and add to any green salad. Top with honey-herb vinaigrette. 5 Pounds peeled figs 5 Oounds sugar 1 Lemon, sliced Peel and quarter figs, add sugar and sliced lemon. Let stand two or three hours to draw juice, stir now and then to help dissolve sugar. When sugar has softened, start cooking. Let come to a rolling boil. Boil 25-30 minutes, stirring constantly so liquid does not stick to bottom of pot. After foam disappears and juice has thickened a little, ladle into hot jars and seal. 1/4 Cup butter 1/2 Cup sugar 1 Egg 1 1/2 Cups sifted flour 2 Cups chopped dried figs 2 Teaspoons baking powder 1/4 Teaspoon salt 1/2 Cup milk 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla Cream the butter, add the sugar and the well-beaten egg. Take out about 2 tablespoons of the flour and mix with the figs. Sift together the remaining flour and the baking powder and salt and add alternately with the milk to the butter and egg mixture. Stir in the flour-coated figs and add the vanilla. Bake in a greased baking dish for about one hour in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.). Serve hot with lemon sauce or hard sauce to which a little lemon juice has been added. 1 Cup Crisco, creamed 2 Cups sugar 4 Eggs, beaten 1 Teaspoon vanilla 1 Cup buttermilk 3 Cups flour 1 Teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 Teaspoon salt 1 Teaspoon cloves 1 Cup fig preserves Sift dry ingredients. Blend in other ingredients. Beat thoroughly. Bake in tube pan in 325 degrees F. oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. 1 1/2 Cups sugar 3/4 Cup butter 1 Cup milk 4 Egg whites, beaten 1 1/2 Cups chopped figs 1 Teaspoon cinnamon 1 Tablespoon molasses 3 Cups flour 1/2 Teaspoon salt 4 Teaspoons baking powder 1 Teaspoon lemon flavoring Cream sugar and butter. Add milk. Sift flour. Measure, sift with salt and baking powder. Add one-half of flour mixture to sugar and butter. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and stir in remainder of flour and flavoring. Take out one-third of this mixture. To the remaining two-thirds, add molasses, cinnamon and figs, which have been dredged in two tablespoons of the flour. Pour into well-oiled, slightly floured tube pan. Swirl the remaining one-third light-colored mixture into the dark-colored mixture. bake at 350 degrees F. for about 55 minutes. 5 Pounds fresh figs 1 1/2 Pounds sugar 1/2 Cup water Wash figs, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Place figs in boiling syrup and simmer one hour, uncovered. cool. Repeat the second day. Third day boil slowly one hour, uncovered. Drain. Place on paper towel and dry in sun for three days. May be frozen. 3 Cups figs, diced 3 Cups sugar 1/2 Cup lemon juice 1 Box strawberry or blackberry gelatin Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into jelly glasses. As a stuffing, figs add a wonderful, exotic flavor to small birds. 4 to 6 Medium to large fresh figs 1/2 Teaspoon ground allspice 1 Cup port 4 1-pound Cornish hens, giblets removed and rinsed Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 Cups rock salt or other salt Cut figs in quarters. In a small bowl mix allspice with port. Put figs in a zip-lock bag, add marinade, close, shake back and forth a few times and marinate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Put salt in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold all the hens without crowding. Loosen the skin of the hens and season with salt and pepper. Season cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with drained figs. Brush the flesh of the hens with fig marinade and truss hens. Brush any remaining marinade over hens. Put hens in the oven 30 to 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F in the deep thigh of the hens. Remove, let rest 10 minutes, covered with foil. Untruss and serve. Serves 4. Serve this with a simple roasted chicken or butterflied and grilled leg of lamb. 2 Tablespoon butter 1 Tablespoon mustard seeds 1/2 Cup minced onion 1 Tablespoon minced or grated ginger 1 Jalapeņo, seeded and minced 2 Cups basmati rice Salt to taste 4 Small, firm figs, preferably Kadota, diced Put butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, onion, ginger and Jalapeņo. Cook until onion softens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and stir. Add salt, figs and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Turn heat off and allow to steam another 10 minutes. Serves 6. 1 Cup Campari 1 Cup orange juice 1 Cup water 1 Cup sugar 12 Medium or 8 to 10 large Kadota figs, stemmed 2 Oranges, each peeled and cut into 6 sections Mint sprigs for garnish Combine Campari, orange juice, water and sugar six in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes. If using medium figs, cut in half. If large, quarter. Add figs and oranges to pot. Cook gently until figs are softened but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Remove oranges and figs to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Put pan over high heat and reduce volume by about half (it should take 10 minutes or so). Pour liquid over figs and oranges and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. For each serving, put 4 fig halves or 5 or 6 quarters in a shallow bowl with 2 orange wedges. Spoon liquid over fruit and garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 6. 15 Oil-cured black olives, pitted 2 Teaspoons capers 1 Anchovy fillet 1 Teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried 2 Teaspoons olive oil 12 Ripe, small Mission figs Puree olives, capers, anchovy and thyme together in a food processor or chop by hand. Make a slit in the side of each fig and spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of tapenade into the fig. Pinch opening closed. Allow 3 figs per person. 1/4 Cup hazelnuts 1/4 Cup honey 1/4 Cup whiskey 8 Large or 12 small Mission figs, stemmed Butter-flavor spray Mint sprigs for garnish Toast hazelnuts in a 400-degree F oven for 5 minutes. Put them in a tea towel and rub them against each other to remove skins. Chop and set aside. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Combine honey and whiskey in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring. Turn off heat. Cut figs in half, lengthwise. Spray a gratin dish large enough to hold all the figs in one layer with butter-flavor spray. Put in figs, cut side up. Drizzle with honey-whiskey mixture. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, depending on size, or just until they soften but are not falling apart. Cool to warm and put 4 to 6 fig halves on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon pan juices over figs. Put a mint sprig in the middle. Serves 4. 3 Cups sugar 2 Cups water 4 Thin slices lemon, divided 2 Pounds fresh figs, stemmed Bring sugar, water and 1 lemon slice to a boil in a Dutch oven, stirring constantly. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add figs, a few at a time; cook 12 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 220 degrees F and the figs are clear, stirring occasionally. Add 3 remaining lemon slices and cook one minute. Remove from heat. Pack figs in hot, sterilized jars, filling to 1/4 inch from top. Cover fruit with hot syrup, filling up to 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles (using a knife or other straight implement to slide down the side of the jar and release bubbles). Wipe jar rims clean and cover at once with metal lids and screw on tops. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Makes 5 half-pints. After opening jars, keep remainder of preserves in the refrigerator. 3 Cups mashed or chopped fresh figs 1 Cup sugar 3 Ounce package strawberry-flavored gelatin Combine figs and sugar in heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in gelatin, and cook over low heat 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon preserves into hot, sterilized jars, filling to 1/4-inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids and screw on bands. Process in boiling-water bath 5 minutes. Store in refrigerator after opening. 1/4 Cup water 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 1 Pounds fresh figs, stemmed 1 1/4 Cups sugar 1 Cup whipping cream 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract Combine water and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Dip each fig in mixture, and dredge in sugar, coating each thickly. Place figs into lightly greased individual shallow baking dishes. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Combine whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spoon mixture over warm figs. Makes 4 servings. |
© 1999 David Louis Harter, California Technologies