Luscious fresh figs still linger in our summer markets. Enjoy these simple ways of eating them while they last.
Figs are fruit so evocative of summer that just looking at a picture of them brings back vacation time – or just a summertime kitchen with the sun streaming through the window. Figs, with their mildly honeyed flavor, are one such fruit. Tomatoes, of course, another: see our Syrian tomato salad and our seasoned, slow-roasted tomatoes.
It’s so easy to dress a dish with fresh figs.
Here are five different ways.
1. Try a salad of two or three kinds of lettuce with chunks of feta and quartered fresh figs. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad and toss lightly. The sweet figs will set off the cheese’s saltiness and the mild acidity of the vinegar, making a perfect, and perfectly easy salad.
2. Grilled Figs Stuffed with Feta Cheese
Make a cut about half-way through the side of each fig. Stuff with feta cheese. Brush the figs with a mixture of dark honey and oil. Grill about 10 minutes. Drink a rosé wine with this.
3. Add sliced figs to your breakfast cereal. Yup.
4. Poach figs in a hot syrup of 50% red wine and 50% sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat, turning over once. Serve cold with whipped cream.
5. Make a fresh fig sauce to accompany organic roast chicken or other poultry: blend 1 cup quartered figs with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add a little salt and black pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
More figgy adventures on Green Prophet:
Image of fresh figs from Shutterstock
Author: Miriam Kresh
Miriam Kresh is an American ex-pat living in Israel. Her love of Middle Eastern food evolved from close friendships with enthusiastic Moroccan, Tunisian and Turkish home cooks. She owns too many cookbooks and is always planning the next meal. Miriam can be reached at miriam (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
