Christy, my sister-in-law in LA, has a fig tree in her front yard.
She knows about ours in the courtyard.
It being the fig season–both sides of the Atlantic–she went looking for a fig recipe book.
She found Marie Simmons’ delightfully titled Fig Heaven and very kindly sent me a copy.
Our fig is laden down with fruit that plop regularly onto the thin plastic sheet we have put down to ease the labour of the daily clear-up.
What to do with all the figs? no good giving them to neighbors–they already have at least one tree and are thinking the same thing.
This idea shot out of the book at me; it’s a nice variant on the melon/fig and parma ham summer stand-by starter.
We served two figs each on a small bed of the ubiquitous rocket/arugula to lunch guests on Sunday.
for 4
8 figs–any type
8 thin slices of proscuitto
goat’s cheese (chevre)–divided into 8 pieces
olive oil and balsamic vinegar for drizzling and sprinkling
a handful of rocket/arugula
set the oven at 230C/500F
- Make a small incision across the top of the fig with a knife.
- Carefully pull a fig apart at the top making enough room to insert the small piece of cheese.
- Repeat this with the rest of the figs.
- Wrap a slice of prosciutto round the fig and secure it with a couple of cocktail sticks.
- Repeat this with the rest of the figs.
- Cover a shallow oven tray with foil and brush it with oil.
- Place the figs on it and drizzle a little olive oil over each.
- Scrunch together the other prosciutto slices into individual piles and place on the tray.
- Bake in the hot oven for 10/15 minutes–the prosciutto should have a crispiness.
- Serve on a few rocket/arugula spears over which you have sprinkled a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Robin Ellis 
Have you tried drying the figs? I love figs but they dont grow where I live, so I am reduced to dried figs. I have been experimenting with fig puree as a sweetener substitute – with applesauce and also in a chocolate cake made oat flour. I love reading your blog and learning from you!
Thanks Debra.
The sun doesn’t stay hot enough in September here. There’s always the oven I suppose. Maybe we’ll try that.
And there are electric dryers made for the purpose of drying fruit, veg., herbs and even meats.
Figs! I love them and love the little packets you’ve made with them. . An excellent food writer named Gil Marks (he celebrates Mediterranean-style cooking,including lots of vegetarian dishes) created this recipe that I’m considering for my holiday dinner next week:
Chicken with Figs 1 (2½- to 3-pound/1.12 to 1.36 kg) chicken, cut into serving pieces
12 ounces (340 grams) fresh figs, or soaked and drained dried figs
1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, or water
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander seeds
About 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground black pepper
1 bay leaf (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C).
2. Place the chicken and figs in a large roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
3. Roast, basting and turning occasionally, until the chicken is tender and brown (about 1 hour).
I had some ideas … Fig & almond tart, pickled figs, fig chutney, pork & fig … For inspiration I always visit http://www.nigella.com as she always has something!
This dish is making my mouth water! However, I never see fresh figs in the market and do not have a fig tree. I am guessing some of us will have to improvise with dried figs. They look so yummy!
Oh how I wish I had the abundance of figs at ready disposal. I love them! I’m as green with envy as those luscious figs!
How lucky you are to have a fig tree. When I was a little girl we lived next to some Greek people who had a fig tree. It grew over both our fences. They told us to help ourselves. What a great memory. They were delicious.
Have you tried canning them. The do make a delightful spread as well.
Or cut almost in half and put in two or three slices of smoked duck breast, a wee drop of olive oil and some salt and pepper .
Serve them just like that and people will pop them into their mouths faster than you can make them.
For jam about 800gms sugar for 1000 gms fig works well
sometimes wish i wasn’t a veggie!!!
This is one of them…………
Ever thought about doing a veggie version of your book Robin?
Oh yes please, Robin! My husband is a vegetarian and I am a pescatarian, and I have loved making some of your vegetable side dishes (the brussel sprouts with shallots was so easy and so delicious!). I would really welcome a vegetarian cookbook by you, and I’ll sure I am not the only one. There, you have a new project! Grins, Allyson
Pescatarian–wonderful word! Sounds like someone who’s a bit contrary!
Robin: do you know what type of fig tree you have? Here in NYC and NJ, we have gone fig-crazy and are buying up tiny fig trees and sticking them in a sunny spot in the garden. My little twig is called Brown Turkey (I think) and seems to be doing well.
My British born Cypriot husband would love that tree. we have a monster fig tree in a pot – this yr due to poor weather the figs were not good. This fig tree is like “the other woman” in his life – care and attention is lavished on it. I will not show him your tree – it would upset him too much. Last yr he draped fleece over it to protect it from frost. It looked like a ghost in the moonlight!!!