Jam Session

Figs

Because I grew up in New York, I did not experience the joy of eating fresh figs. We could buy dried figs from Greece, and they were good but dangerously chewy for a girl with braces. When I moved to Italy, I finally understood the seductive deliciousness of this most-prized fruit. To me, the fig is the quintessential fruit of the Mediterranean.

The fig tree is not native to the Mediterranean but was brought there in Roman times from Asia Minor. It was known to the Sumerians and the Assyrians. The best figs were thought to be from Smyrna. The Phoenicians and the Greeks were responsible for spreading fig cultivation in the ancient world. In the 1880s, the first cuttings of Calimyrna figs were planted in California at the Spanish missions, soon followed by what we now call Black Mission figs.

The fig varieties available include Black Mission, Turkey, Adriatic, and Panache (green with white stripes and very red flesh). Figs have two crops. The first is in late June, but the larger crop with more flavorful fruit comes in the fall, usually in September. Perfumed, voluptuous, fragile, and, dare I say, sexy, the fig is best when eaten out of hand, warm and perfectly ripe. For eating, you want the ones that are cracked and oozing a bit of juice. When you buy figs, eat the softest and ripest ones first. The ones that are slightly firm will soften a bit when stored at room temperature, but you must arrange them on a tray or plate so they are not touching. (That way, they will resist molding.) Figs have a brief shelf life at room temperature, usually 1 to 2 days. Refrigeration will keep them from spoiling for a few more days but will cause them to lose their perfume and some of their voluptuousness. Buy a little more than 3 pounds of figs—some to eat within a day or two and the rest to preserve. You won’t be sorry.

Natural flavor affinities for figs are orange and lemon, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, bay, ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, anise, star anise, vanilla, raspberry, walnuts, and almonds.

As an added safety precaution, if there is not much lemon juice in your preserves, you may add a bit of citric acid (¼ teaspoon per half pint) or 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to the jars before you fill them.

Serve fig preserves on toast, with cheese assortments, on grilled cheese sandwiches, on ham and cheese, or atop ricotta toast. Or with soft polenta and mascarpone. Or warmed and spooned on cheesecake or almond cake. They are also good paired with grilled or roast pork, poultry, ham, and duck.

You can make a simple fig jam without the spices or the ground-up citrus or ginger. But as the fig season is short and the fruit so fragile, I do not want to make the simplest, just the best. When you dip a spoon into this jam, it will remind you of late summer all winter long.

This jam is great on toast with cream cheese or mascarpone, paired with blue cheese and walnut bread, or spread on a grilled cheese sandwich. It also may be used as a cookie filling or with soft polenta and mascarpone for breakfast.

Stem the figs and cut them into 1- to 1½-inch chunks. (There’s no need to peel them because the peel gives this jam a gorgeous maroon color.)

In a large preserving pot, combine the cut figs and sugar. Set aside to macerate for a few hours or preferably overnight if you have time.

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the lemon, orange, and ginger to a fine puree. Add to the figs, which should have given off quite a bit of liquid. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon or five-spice powder, stir well, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Let rest for 2 hours.

Place two baking sheets on the counter near your stove. Heat a kettle of water. Set two stockpots on the stove and fill them with enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Sterilize the jars (see this page) in the water bath.

Taste the figs and add more lemon juice if the mixture seems dry or needs acidity. Return the mixture to medium-low heat and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Do a plate test (see this page). The mixture should mound on the plate. Remove the pot from the heat.

Bring the water bath back to a boil. If the jars have cooled, warm them in the water bath or in a 200°F oven. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Place the jars on the baking sheets.

Ladle the jam into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using a jar lifter, gently lower the jars into the pots. When the water returns to a boil, decrease the heat to an active simmer, and process the jars for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using the jar lifter, transfer the jars from the pots to the baking sheets and let sit for at least 6 hours, until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed (see this page). Label and store the sealed jam for 6 months to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

I like to pair fresh or dried figs with roast pork, especially with pork that is seasoned in the manner of Italian porchetta, with sage, rosemary, garlic, fennel, and black pepper. A word of advice: Stay by the stove to stir the preserves during the last 30 minutes of cooking, so that the figs do not scorch.

In addition to roast pork, serve this preserve with roast chicken, turkey, or lamb; at brunch or after dinner with cheese; or spread on toast with mascarpone.

Stem and halve the figs, cutting them into quarters if they are large. In a large preserving pot, combine the cut figs and sugar. Set aside to macerate overnight.

The next day, add the lemon zest and just enough water or juice to barely cover the fruit. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, fennel, cloves, pepper, and salt and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching and sticking. Decrease the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside and let rest for 1 hour, to allow the figs to plump up a bit.

Place a baking sheet on the counter near your stove. Heat a kettle of water. Set two stockpots on the stove and fill them with enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Sterilize the jars (see this page) in the water bath.

Bring the fig mixture to a boil again and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the preserves are thick and large bubbles appear on the surface. Add the lemon juice to taste during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Cook until the preserves pass the plate test (see this page), achieving a soft set that mounds on the plate. (These preserves set up quickly.) Discard the bay leaves and rosemary sachet. Remove the pot from the heat.

Bring the water bath back to a boil. If the jars have cooled, warm them in the water bath or in a 200°F oven. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Place the jars on the baking sheet.

Ladle the preserves into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using the jar lifter, transfer the jars from the pots to the baking sheet and let sit for at least 6 hours, until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed (see this page). Label and store the sealed preserves for 6 months to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

This recipe, known as marmellata di fichi in Italy, is inspired by one from Anna Tasca Lanza, a fine cook who ran a cooking school at Regaleali Winery for many years and wrote three lovely books about the food of Sicily. Keep an eye on the figs as they cook, so the mixture doesn’t get too thick too quickly. The subtle hint of heat adds an intriguing note to this sweet marmalade.

In a preserving pot over medium-low heat, combine the wine and sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the figs and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring so the mixture does not stick. Add the cinnamon, lemon juice, and cayenne and cook until the jam thickens and passes the plate test (see this page), achieving a soft set that mounds on the plate. Remove the pot from the heat.

Bring the water bath back to a boil. If the jars have cooled, warm them in the water bath or in a 200°F oven. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Place the jars on the baking sheet.

Ladle the marmalade into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using the jar lifter, transfer the jars from the pots to the baking sheet and let sit for at least 6 hours, until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed (see this page). Label and store the sealed marmalade for 6 months to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

The heat of the ground chile add excitement, and the Lapsang Souchong tea adds a hint of smoke.

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)

Combine the onion, lemons, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add a splash of the vinegar and pulse once or twice.

In a large preserving pot over medium-low heat, combine the onion-ginger mixture, figs, the remainder of the vinegar, and the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ground chile, and tea and then simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside to allow the figs to plump.

Place a baking sheet on the counter near your stove. Heat a kettle of water. Set two stockpots on the stove and fill them with enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water  to a boil over medium-high heat. Sterilize the jars (see this page) in the water bath.

Return the figs to medium-high heat and continue to cook, adding the tea and black pepper. After 20 minutes, add the raisins, keeping an eye on the amount of liquid in the chutney, as raisins tend to drink up the juices, and you do not want this to be too dry. Add water or more vinegar to loosen the chutney, if necessary. Cook until the mixture passes the plate test (see this page), with pieces of fruit in a syrupy sauce.

Bring the water bath back to a boil. If the jars have cooled, warm them in the water bath or in a 200°F oven. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Place the jars on the baking sheet.

Ladle the chutney into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using the jar lifter, transfer the jars from the pots to the baking sheet and let sit for at least 6 hours, until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed (see this page). Label and store the sealed chutney for 6 months to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Their paths cross in mid-fall, the figs on their way out and the pears on their way in, so I always have to jump to it to capture this happy confluence of flavors and textures. I use Black Mission figs, but Adriatic or green figs work well, too, and offer a lighter color profile. Substituting other figs does not change the taste, just the aesthetic. Aomboon Deasy at K & J, one of my local farms in the San Francisco Bay Area, grows Panache figs, which are green with white stripes on the outside and raspberry flesh. Deasy also cultivates Italian Morettini pears, which are pale green, some with a blush of red on the outside. They are fragrant and hold their shape without breaking down. If you can’t get Morettinis, use Comice or  not-too-soft Bartletts, so the pear slices are still identifiable after cooking. If you like, you could increase the amount of pears by 8 ounces, in which case you’d probably get six half-pint jars instead of five.

Serve with cheese, lamb, poultry, and pork. This would also be good with soft polenta or on polenta croutons with a bit of soft robiola cheese.

In a large preserving pot, combine the figs, pears, sugar, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, and cardamom. Let sit overnight to macerate. Alternatively, bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes, then set aside, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Return the pot to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture thickens and passes the plate test (see this page), mounding on the plate. Remove the pot from the heat.

Bring the water bath back to a boil. If the jars have cooled, warm them in the water bath or in a 200°F oven. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Place the jars on the baking sheet. Add ½ teaspoon citric acid to each jar.

Ladle the preserves into the jars, leaving ¼-inch  headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using a jar lifter, gently lower the jars into the pots. When the water returns to a boil, set the timer for 15 minutes, decrease the heat to an active simmer, and process the jars. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Cooking figs in tea is an old culinary tradition. Black Mission figs make the most beautiful red syrup, but you could do this with green figs as well.

These are delicious served over ice cream, panna cotta, or simple pound cake or with soft cheese.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, tea bags, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and ginger and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the figs and simmer over low heat until they feel soft and tender, about 30 minutes.

Place a baking sheet on the counter near your stove. Heat a kettle of water. Set a stockpot on the stove and fill it with enough water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Sterilize the jars (see this page) in the water bath. Simmer the lids in a saucepan of hot water.

Spoon ¼ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice into each sterilized jar. Remove the figs from the syrup with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the jars.

Discard the tea bags, star anise, and cinnamon stick from the syrup. Taste the syrup and add a bit of fresh lemon juice if you think it is needed. If the syrup seems thin, reduce over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Ladle the syrup into the jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and set the lids on the mouths of the jars. Twist on the rings.

Using a jar lifter, gently lower the jars into the pot. When the water returns to a boil, decrease the heat to an active simmer, and process the jars for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using the jar lifter, transfer the jars from the pot to the baking sheet and let sit for at least 6 hours, until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed (see this page). Label and store the sealed syrup for 6 months to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

— Instead of the star anise, cinnamon, and ginger, flavor the syrup with 2 bay leaves, fennel seed, and 1 vanilla bean, cut into 3 pieces.

— Substitute 1 cup red or white wine and 1½ cups water for the 2½ cups water.