Spanish lifestyle- just what do I do with a glut of figs?

2009-09-05

One of the greatest joys of Spanish summertime is the luxury of being able to walk out into the back garden and eat a sweet warm fig straight from the tree.

Reputedly the favourite fruit of Cleopatra, its interesting to think of her sitting with Mark Anthony, nibbling on a fig, savouring the same sweetness as ourselves, along with all the great figures(no pun intended) of classical history.

Figs have been a staple of the Mediterranean diet for thousands of years, the earliest evidence of our love for them dating back 11,400 years to the Israeli village of Gilgal 1, where Harvard University researchers discovered evidence that these were cultivated by the people who lived there all those years ago.

Interestingly, the scientists have discovered that the trees these first cultivated figs came from were sterile, so would have been propagated by cuttings, the first real evidence of gardening over 11,000 years ago, and here we are,  still following the same basic techniques today.

A fig is actually an inverted flower, not technically a fruit, and has a 55% sugar content, although rich in potassium, phosphorus and iron, and is used more frequently in its dried form, damaging easily in transportation. We've tried to dry them on a couple of occasions, but we'll save that story for another time as it's a good one, and takes a while to tell, and concentrate on what to do with the mountains of fresh figs available at the moment.

 

This year the crop is enormous, so we've been feeding them to the sheep and chickens by the crateload, and the freezer is stuffed for the winter.

 

The last 2 weeks have been  mainly figs with muesli for breakfast, fig fruit salad for lunch and roasted figs with pork chops for dinner , and the trees are still dripping, the green variety swelling already to follow the black.

 

Here are a few suggestions if you've a treeful as well, but we want to hear from you about what you do with yours, so we've set up a thread on the gardening forum for  you to  pass on your own experiences, especially if you've got a great chutney recipe.

 

As apples are fairly pricey at the moment, we freeze the figs and wait until the windfalls come along, but if you've got a proper recipe, lets have it on that forum.

 

In fact, how's this as a challenge.

We're holding a special gardening show in May next year, (weekend currently being finalized) so we'll provide some bread and cheese and let the public vote for the best fig chutney with a menu del dia for two as a prize for the winner.

So get chopping !

 

Freezing figs.

Figs will freeze, but are always quite wet once defrosted, so ours always end up in sticky ginger fig and walnut pudding (on the forum) or in crumbles with other fruits, such as frozen fruits of the forest and apple with lots of cinnamon, mixed spice and walnuts crumbled into the topping.

To freeze, select fruits that are almost ripe, but not soft. We just cut in half and lay out on a tray or wire rack to freeze loose, then bag up once frozen, so we can just grab a handful when needed.

Bottling - can be bottled in syrup, or a brandy and syrup mix, the same as other fruits, but to be honest, we are not overly fond of bottled figs. Determined not to waste them, we have tried bottling in other alcoholic beverages, but without success - they still tasted like bottled figs. If anyone has a fantastic recipe, please post it.

 

Recipes.

 

Figgy piggy backs.

Wrap half a fig with smoked bacon, skewer and roast on a baking tray until bacon is crisp and cooked.(180 degrees or under a grill)

Serve with freshy cut bread as a conversation stopping nibble, or with pork chops, or  on the side of roasted pork

For an extra taste sensation, slip a piece of anchovy in the middle of the fig before baking - its amazing how well fish and figs work together.

This works just as well with prunes when figs are out of season.

 

 

Fig and Mozzarella salad with zingy dressing.

Figs and cheese are a great combination, and whilst most cheeses will do the job, creamy Mozzarella blends well to create a smooth, sweet salad, which can be spiced up with peppery leaves such as rocket, which is available sometimes in Mercadona ( or is incredibly easy to grow in a big pot once the weather cools down.).

 

Dressing,

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp virgin olive oil

Chopped fresh mint

 

Salad base

Mixed salad leaves

Rocket

8 fat fresh figs

1 pack Mozzarella

 

Put dressing ingredients in an old jar and shake until well mixed. If you,re a sweet thing you can add a little honey to the dressing.

Create a bed of leaves, quarter the figs, dot with Mozzarella and drizzle with the dressing.

Mop up with crusty bread.

What could be easier.

 

Easy peasy figgy pud.

 

Choose 2 ripe figs per person.

Cut off stalk and slice a deep cross across the top , cutting to pretty much half way down the fig. Squeeze the lower base of the fig so that the top opens up slighty like an open flower.

Put a sliver of butter into the top, sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with a little brandy and a teaspoon of honey and sliced almonds before baking in a medium oven (or microwave) until soft.

Serve with a sinful amount of ice cream, and don't think about the calories.

 

Figgy upside down pudding with cinnamon.

150g Butter

25g soft brown sugar

100g white sugar

2 eggs beaten, 175g self raising flour

1tsp cinnamon or half tsp mixed spice (your preference)

1 doz figs, halved

 

( Chopped orange zest to taste can be added to the cake mixture for a sexy zing if liked )

Tin - 8 in greased round cake tin.

Lay figs across bottom and sides of tin, cut face down

 

Melt 25g butter and stir in brown sugar. Pour into base of tin onto figs.

Cream remaining butter and sugar until fluffy, gradually beat in eggs, fold in flour and spice. Spread over fig mix and bake at 180c/250F/Gas mk 4 for 1 hour or until centre springs back when pressed lightly with finger.

Leave to stand for 5 mins before turning out.

 Pickled Figs, sent to us by Margaret Jolly

A great recipe for figs well worth doing.

60 figs
3 cups vinegar
1 tbspn whole allspice
5 cups sugar
1 tbspn whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon

Pour boiling water over unpeeled figs.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Put 3 cups sugar and 8 cups water into saucepan.
Boil until sugar dissolves.  Cool and add figs.  Boil gently 30 minutes.  Add remaining sugar, vinegar and spices
tied in a bag.  Boil until figs are clear.  Let stand 12-24 hours in a cool place.  Heat to simmering.  Pack in jars.
Process in water bath for 30 minutes.

I made it for the first time this year and everybody who has tasted it reckons it is super.

Good pickling

 

Well that's a few bits to tickle your tastebuds, just don't waste those figs. Actually, there are rumours that figs are good for other things than regular bowel action, maybe Cleopatra was onto something. If you don't believe her, why not take note of Edward Lear and what he had to say about the subject.

 

"There was an Old Person of Ischia,

Whose conduct grew friskier and friskier,

He danced hornpipes and jigs,

And ate thousands of figs,

That lively old person of Ischia.

 

Maybe the figs are what keep the spanish out at all those fiestas until 3am in the morning while we're all flaked out in bed. There's got to be something in this Mediterranean diet!

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