My mum would argue that the only way to eat a fig is straight away, skin an all! And although I am inclined to agree with her, I think by taking a little extra time and some simple ingredients you can create something even more delicious.
When selecting these little gems it’s worth noting that once a fig has been plucked from the tree it will ripen no further, therefore my advise would be to spend a little extra time selecting the ripest ones with the sweetest smell and deepest colour.
Sadly figs are a perishable fruit that won’t last long, maybe 2-3 days in the fridge at best. If however you are like me this isn’t really a concern as they are lucky to make it across the supermarket car park nevermind lasting 2-3 days in the fridge! If you are preparing for a dinner party then I would suggest either buying the day before or on the day if possible.
Figs are an extremely versatile and work well sweet and savory, I like to combine them with intense ingredients like the roquefort cheese that I have used below (recipe below) or a salty prosciutto which is an Italian classic. If however these flavours are a little too strong for your palate, then you could use something milder such as buffalo mozzarella or ricotta, which would work just as well.
Perfect for those lazy days when you want to keep things simple or maybe as an aperitif or starter, what’s great about these recipes is that they can be adapted to suit anyone’s tastes.
- 250g mixed salad leaves
- 12 figs
- 30g walnuts (optional)
- 150g roquefort cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
- 1. Wash and drain the salad. Wash the figs and cut into quarters.
- 2. Coarsely crush the nuts and crumble the roquefort cheese. In a bowl mix together the oil, vinegar and salt (to taste) and whisk lightly.
- 3. Divide the salad, figs, roquefort cheese and walnuts into 6 individual bowls and drizzle over the dressing of oil and vinegar.
- For a little extra sweetness you could add grapes.
- 4 slices of sourdough bread
- 150g gorgonzola & mascarpone cheese
- 4 figs sliced
- 2 tbsp of runny honey
- 1. Wash and slice the figs. In a griddle pan add a tbsp of honey and then the figs, gently heat the figs until caramelised but still firm then remove from the pan.
- 2. Using the same pan toast the slices of sourdough bread until golden brown.
- 3. spread the gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese onto the toasted bread. Then carefully place 2-3 fig slices and light drizzle the remaining honey over each piece.
- Tip: If you are unable to find gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese, then buy separately and coarsely mix together.