I picked the very first few figs of the season from our tree this week and promptly devoured them with yogurt and honey for my breakfast. All the nut-hard, bright green fruits sprouting from beneath the leaves promise many more weeks of fig goodness to come. I've bookmarked Faith's Grilled Figs with Mascarpone, and I figure I'd better start lining up the rest of my recipes, too! Got a favorite to share?
• Caramelized Fig Ice Cream from Sunset Magazine/MyRecipes - I can only imagine the deliciousness of those jammy pockets of figs folded into vanilla ice cream. (Though for this, I'd probably make my own ice cream!)
• Fig and Strawberry Tart from Martha Stewart - This dessert would be a show-stopper for sure.
• Stuffed Figs from Eat My Tortes! - Stuffed with clotted cream, sprinkled with pistachios, and drizzled with honey. Love.
• Millefeuille of Fresh Figs and Ricotta from Epicurious - Surprisingly simple to assemble and totally classy.
• Fig Galette from Simply Recipes - A classic. Fresh figs + Crust = Heavenly
• Yogurt Mousse with Fresh Figs, Honey, and Cinnamon Streusel from Bon Appétit - Tart yet sweet, cool yet warming. Sounds perfect.
• Fig and Almond Tart from BBC Good Food - The almonds get ground into a frangipane, which puffs up and becomes crispy in the oven.
• Goat Cheesecake with Figs and Honey from My Best Days Ever - Rich and decadent, one slice of this and I'd be done for the evening!
What are your favorite recipes for fresh figs?
Related: Strange Symbiosis: The Fig and the Wasp
(Images: Sunset Magazine/MyRecipes and Martha Stewart)
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Comments (12)
It would be nice to see some savory recipes included here...
This is my favorite way to use figs in a savory dish: http://www.food52.com/recipes/1002_chicken_with_figs_wine_honey
We planted our fig tree last year and it only had three leaves. We affectionately call it the "fig stick." This year it has a few more leaves and an actual branch. I can't wait for the fruit, though.
Yesterday I roasted black figs with a drizzle of honey, then I reconstituted them over the stove with some more honey and some water to soften them and make a syrup. I'm serving the figs and syrup with homemade honey goat cheese ice cream with a little bit of cinnamon (tastes like cheesecake!).
Oh, for the ice cream I mixed about 6oz of goat cheese with honey, which was slowly whisked with milk and yolk custard (1.5c milk, 4 egg yolks, cooked until it coats the back of the spoon). Added a bit of cinnamon to taste.
i just cooked lamb chops with a side dish of kale and at the last moment halved some figs and let them cook next to the chops on the iron skillet. they were so delicious and the sweetness complemented the savoriness of the rest of the meal. i was thinking of smashing some on top of really dry toast tomorrow morning, too.
Figs, goat cheese, ripped proscuitto and arugula drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Yum. I am not a fan of sweet dishes with figs.
Staying with the goat cheese/honey theme, I've been really excited recently about a simple appetizer of quartered figs, goat cheese, a tiny dribble of honey, a sprinkle of fresh thyme, and a couple grains of big chunky sea salt. Can't get enough of it! Attractive, delicious, impressive, and very light.
I love figs and they are so perfect on their own that oftentimes I just eat them out of hand or atop my greek yogurt for breakfast. In my opinion, there is no finer fruit.
I was inspired by Faith's Grilled Figs and just made the perfect salad for the heat we've been having in NY. I dipped the halved figs in heated honey then grilled them and served with baby arugula, goat cheese and a homemade dressing of jalapenos, mustard, olive oil and sea salt with the remaining honey mixed in...sweet and spicy and very light and fresh.
Funny Fig Story: My husband and I live in rural Mississippi and we were eating Thai food (the only restaurant within 100 miles where I can actually order something vegan off the menu) - this man came in carrying a HUGE basket (2 gallons worth) of figs trying to sell them to the restaurant. Figs aren't a primary ingredient in their kitchen... but this California girl missed them. A lot. So i jumped out of my seat, pulled out $15 and bought the whole lot. Ever since my childhood bus stop was located under a giant Mission fig tree... I was hooked. My husband thought I was crazy. But, if you're reading this kind dreadlocked Barry from New York, the figs were delicious.
God you all are making me jealous. Can't find figs to save your life in Southern Cal yet - something about the long, cold winter. They're gonna be late this year, but the good news is they shoudl last far longer into the fall. I can't wait!