The Great Fig Adventure

December 25, 2021

The Great Fig Adventure

I've never bought figs before, but after trying several new recipes, when this bag is gone, I just might buy them again! If you've never tried figs, don't be afraid to do so.

Morning Glory Muffins - You can find the original recipe here, and our version here. Allow a little bit of time to prepare these!

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Figs - These were a perfect choice for a holiday dinner appetizer. Here's the original recipe, and our version here (along with another fig appetizer to try some other time).

Thyme and Fig Goat Cheese Spread

1 cup crumbled goat cheese (about 5 ounces)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup chopped dried figs

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Additional minced fresh thyme, optional

Assorted crackers, French bread baguette slices or assorted fresh vegetables

In a small bowl, beat cheese, sour cream, honey and thyme until smooth; stir in figs and almonds. Sprinkle with additional thyme if desired. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with crackers, baguette slices or vegetables.

Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

2 cups mixed salad greens

4 dried figs, stemmed and sliced

1 ounce fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 tablespoons slivered almonds, preferably toasted

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon honey

Pinch of salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Mix with salad greens. Toss in figs, goat cheese and almonds and serve immediately.

Caramelized Onion and Fig Pizza

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup dried figs (about 6 ounces), chopped

6 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham, chopped

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and pepper; cook 1 minute longer.

Preheat oven to 425°. Unroll and press dough onto bottom and up sides of a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, thyme and remaining oil until blended. Spread over crust. Top with caramelized onion, figs, prosciutto and pine nuts; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 6-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

We did one third of the above recipe using homemade dough - see here, and it was still plenty for four servings.

Chicken with Figs and Almonds - This was definitely a combination we'd never had before, but it was delicious and we may just have it again. Although instead of corn and peas, we should probably serve it with more Mediterranean-ish vegetables like carrots, squash or cauliflower.

Cuccidati - A great new recipe to add to our Christmas cookie platters.

Filling:

2 cups raisins
3/4 pound pitted dates (about 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
2 small navel oranges, peeled and quartered
1/3 pound dried figs (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup water

Dough:

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Place the first 7 ingredients in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough into 4 portions; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out each portion between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 16-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Spread 1 cup filling lengthwise down the center of each. Starting at a long side, fold dough over filling; fold the other side over the top. Pinch seams and edges to seal. Cut each rectangle diagonally into 1-in. strips. Place seam side down on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 10-14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Combine confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Note: I put one cup of filling on the first dough I rolled out (1/4 of the recipe), and it seemed to be too much, so I used less on the other cookies, then made some more dough (a half batch) to use up all the extra filling.