10125 Too many figs

[quote=coppicer;94233]A neighbour has a glut of figs and we keep getting baskets of them. Though they are delicious to eat, there is of course a limit on the daily intake. We have made fig ice cream but any other suggestions??[/quote]

Try making jam...............yummy :yes:

Fig jam is delicious,(especially the black figs) you can also bake them in wine and vin coto (this dish freezes well).We have a glut of pears and plums now, and are making jam and stewing some for the freezer.Then its time for the pear and ginger chutney, which is excellent. Its a case of the Martha Stewarts around here at the moment.
I did try grilling pears with goats cheese but that was a bit weird, any recipes for some sort of spiced pear?
A
(pipped at the post by Ricky, its actually Deborahs excellent fig jam, with brandy,yum yum)

You can dry them, either in the sun or (if you can bear having it on in this heat) the oven.

Fig,, tomato and apple chutney is wonderful too.

Here are plenty of ideas as discussed in another forum.

[url=http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060829070016AAMqver]What is the best way to preserve figs, other than by drying them? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers[/url]

You could also dry them.

Here is a long list of things you can do with figs. Happy calories counting!!!!

[url=http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blfruit30.htm]Fig Recipes[/url]

[quote=Gala Placidia;94237]Here are plenty of ideas as discussed in another forum.

[url=http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060829070016AAMqver]What is the best way to preserve figs, other than by drying them? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers[/url]

You could also dry them.[/quote]

This is what I get when I click on the link Gala.

[I]We're taking a breather...
Yahoo! Answers is taking a coffee break[/I]

I wonder if they are having fig rolls with their coffee?:bigergrin:

Do you have a recipe for the chutney please?

I made it up as I went along so can’t remember exactly, nor what the quantities were.

I had a load of figs, tomatoes and apples so I chopped up the figs and tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped the apples. Chucked it all in a pan with some chopped onion, garlic, grated fresh ginger, brown sugar and malt vinegar and cooked it till it reached the right consistency. (about two hours on a low heat)

It turned out very nice and I have none of it left now so will be making more with the next crop of figs.

I have made loads of jam with the first crop because the apples and tomatoes are not ready in abundance at the moment.

When I had other fruits like pears and plums I added figs to the jam just to make the quantity worth cooking.

Dried sticky figs are great in a beef stew, they make the ‘gravy’ all gooey and rich. Yum!

try barbecueing figs with gorgonzola and pancetta - I don't like figs and I don't like gorgonzola but this is yummy. Criss cross the top of the fig and insert a piece of gorgonzola. Wrap the fig in pancetta or parma ham, secure with cocktail stick and barbecue 5 mins or until pancetta is crispy.

This year I'm going to try a fruity fig relish: figs, dates, apples,soft brown sugar, vinegar and stock all simmered together for 25 mins.

A recipe I have used several times in many countries with excellent results:

POACHED FIGS IN RED WINE

1 Bottle of red wine (choose a fruity wine, Shiraz is usually excellent.... use a good wine and the results will be great)
10 tablespoons maple syrup
24 large fresh purple figs
150 g walnut halves, toasted
375 g (about 1 1/2 cups) thickened cream (or use a good vanilla ice-cream for a change)

In a large pan, stir the wine and the maple syrup together on a medium heat and bring to the boil. Add the whole figs and reduce heat to minimum. Poach gently until tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the figs from the pan and place on a dish. Then, increase the heat and reduce syrup.
Return the figs to the syrup and allow to cool.
This tastes better is it is prepared several days in advance. It keeps very well in a large glass jar with a lid.
Serve with the thick cream, ice-cream and walnut halves.

Sounds fantastic Gala. Just a couple of quick questions. Is maple syrup available in Italy and if so where from??? Also if not can you substitute it with say acacia honey???

I think that you could get "melassa raffinata" which is like golden syrup and it would go very well. Esselunga should sell it or any health food shop. As for honey.... I haven´t tried that one as a replacement.

Here is a recipe I had in my files for FIG CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
1 Kg fresh figs, washed and chopped into small pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cups (1/2 littre) red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup ginger, chopped (you can also use preserved ginger; in this case, you do not need the white sugar)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon each: mixed spice, curry powder, ground cinnamon, mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

PREPARATION:
Place figs, onion and half the red wine vinegar in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the figs and the onion are thoroughly cooked and pulpy.
Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until it starts to boil.
Simmer uncovered until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal when cool.

Very nice with turkey.

Spread them out on a clean cloth and dry slowying in the sun.when they are really dry (you will still feel some 'give') put them into clean glass jars.

We chop them up and add to both Christmas cakes and puddings and you could also use to replace any other dried fruit in teabread or panatonne recipies.they will keep for at least 6 months.

Moved to : Italiauncovered.co.uk