Getting Figgy With It.

I am getting better. Not at 100%, but at least back up near 75-80%. I must be feeling better because today I was out harvesting the fig tree in the back yard.

Its not completely MY fig tree. In fact it grows in the neighbors yard. Back in a part of their yard they never tend. And the tree exclusively hangs over the fence into my yard. Where is drops its over-ripe fruit and makes a mess.

So I harvest to preempt the mess.

Here's today's harvest. Last harvest a couple of weeks ago yielded enough to make a medium batch of fig & orange preserves. Today was enough for a triple batch of preserves, a double batch of dessert for dinner and another group yet to be dealt with.

I think the figs that are split open look like Audrey 2 from the movie "Little Shop of Horrors." They scare me.

Audrey 2

Here is the pot of preserves. The recipe I use is from Epicurious.com:
1/2 lemon (unpeeled), thickly sliced, seeded - I used Lemon the first time last year. I substituted an orange this year. Much better to my taste.
1 1/2 pounds fresh ripe figs, halved (about 4 cups)
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 1/4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Finely chop lemon (Orange) in processor. Add figs. Using on/off turns, process until figs are coarsely pureed. Transfer mixture to heavy large saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups sugar, cinnamon stick, 2 1/4 teaspoons minced ginger and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Simmer until mixture thickens to jam consistency and candy thermometer registers 200°F, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Divide hot preserves among hot clean jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 months.

Bad photo of it. It tastes amazing.
(or I would never have repeated the recipe)

Then I still had too many! SO I searched for a dessert recipe. I really liked this one.

Raspberry & Fig Gratin (from Epicurious.com):
2 baskets fresh raspberries
6 fresh figs, quartered
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
Mint sprigs (for decoration. Even though I have mint in my front yard, I still skipped it)

Preheat broiler. Arrange raspberries and figs in 10-inch-diameter broilerproof baking dish. Stir sour cream until smooth; spoon evenly over fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil close to heat source until brown sugar melts and bubbles, about 4 minutes. Garnish with mint and serve warm. At the suggestion of another person on Epicurious, I placed ingredients in ramekins for individual serving. Much better presentation.

You can just see the raspberries peaking out from under...

All cooked and gorgeous.

The sour cream with a little burnt brown sugar on top reminded me of toasted marshmallows. I will make this AGAIN!