Figs!

I love my fig trees. The smaller one is a cutting from the big one. I planted the big tree twelve years ago. It's too close to the house, and I know some day it will it have to be cut down, but I plan to have many baby trees started to replace it. Friends have taken cuttings of this very prolific tree.

Having a fig tree makes all of the references to fig trees in the Bible come alive for me. The leaves are so huge, and the tree is so generous with its fruit.

My two fig trees are producing mass quantities right now. Fig trees like this really hot weather. I take a lot of them to work to share, and we eat a lot of them right off of the tree when we’re outside. I also made some jam. I also like to bake figs with Parmesan cheese and dress them with a little balsamic vinegar. Here are some lovely fig recipes.


Fig Jam

2 quarts chopped fresh figs (about 5 pounds)
6 cups of sugar
¾ cup of water
½ cup of lemon juice
Teaspoon apple pie spice blend

To prepare chopped figs: Cover figs with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, stem, and chop figs.

Combine figs, sugar and ¼ cup of water in a large sauce pot. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in spices. Add lemon juice and cook 1 minute longer. Pour hot into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes on a boiling water bath. Yields about 5 pints.

Baked Figs in Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
3 lemons
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 lb firm-ripe fresh figs, trimmed and halved lengthwise

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Boil water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove syrup from heat. Squeeze enough juice from 2 lemons to measure 1/3 cup and stir into syrup, then discard lemon halves.
Remove zest from remaining lemon in long strips with a vegetable peeler and, if necessary, trim any white pith from zest with a sharp paring knife. Cut zest lengthwise into thin julienne strips. Reserve lemon.

Blanch zest in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan of boiling water 1 second, then drain in a sieve and add to syrup. Cut away any remaining pith from lemon. Working over a bowl, cut segments free from membranes.

Spread butter in a 1 1/2-quart flameproof gratin dish or 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet. Arrange figs, cut sides up, slightly overlapping in 1 layer. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and bake until figs are softened and begin to exude juice but still hold their shape, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer figs with a slotted spoon to a shallow serving bowl and put gratin dish or skillet over a burner at moderately high heat.

Add syrup and deglaze gratin dish or skillet by boiling until syrup is reduced to about 3/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon segments along with any juices in bowl and pour syrup (with lemon segments) over figs. Cool to warm or room temperature before serving.

Cooks' note:
Syrup can be made, without deglazing and adding lemon segments, 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before deglazing gratin dish and adding lemon segments.

Makes 6 servings.