Oily Rag - Fabulous Figs

 Read more Oily Rag articles by Frank and Muriel Newman

We need your help. Here is our problem. We have a fig tree. It’s of modest proportion but it is producing trailer loads of figs – all ripening at about the same time! Every time we pick one, this magic fig tree seems to produce two more!  There are just too many to eat. We have eaten them fresh and dried, turned them into jams and thrown them on pizzas. We have tried them roasted and toasted, dried and fried. We have had them with cinnamon and sugar, with olive oil and tomato sauce (Frank’s idea!)

Oily raggers from the Artic to the Antarctic have told us of similar problems so let’s give our frugal fig growers a helping hand. Please send us your fig recipes – urgently! – so we can disseminate them through the frugal communities (otherwise known as the oily raggers’ grape vine).

Here are some figging good ideas to think about when it comes to figs.

Fig muffins - Make a basic muffin mix. To do that you will need 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk, and just over ¼ cup cooking oil. Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add previously mixed egg, milk and oil. Stir quickly until dry ingredients are just moistened - the batter should be lumpy. Add 1 cup of chopped fresh figs. Place large teaspoonfuls in greased muffin or patty pans, sprinkle with raw sugar and bake at 200 C for about 20 minutes or until golden. This makes about a dozen muffins.

Caramel figs - Make a caramel by adding about third to half a cup of water to every cup of caster sugar. Heat until the caramel is a golden colour. For every cup of water split 5 figs into halves. Dip each fig half into the molten caramel and leave on a greased tray for about 10 to 15 minutes. Yum, as good as toffee apples!

Fig burgers – This is yet another variation of the oily rag burger. Basically the oily rag burger is the basic mince and buns with lots of free stuff added: sliced tomato from your garden, slug free garden fresh lettuce, beetroot, avocado, fried onions, a home-grown fried egg, and slices of fresh fig!

Fig pizza topping – Cover a pizza base with your favourite pizza sauce, top with sliced figs, tomatoes and fetta cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper and thyme, then bake.

Fig in filo – To make this treat you will need some fresh figs, some sheets of filo pastry, some lemon juice, honey, chopped pistachio nuts and a topping of cream, yoghurt, or ice cream.  Here’s what you do: cut the filo pasty into three squares per fig, each one big enough to wrap around the fig. Coat each piece with melted butter then layer each to form a star-like pattern. Cut the fig into quarters but leaving about a quarter at the bottom. Open up the fig and squirt in some lemon juice, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of chopped pistachio nuts. Bring the corners of the pastry together and twist the top to close.   Coat the outside of each little package with melted butter. Place on a baking tray, cover with a piece of tin foil and bake in a moderate oven (about 180°C) for about 20 minutes. Serve with yoghurt, cream or ice cream.

Roast fig – This is dead simple. Cut the figs in half, and place them flesh side up in a flat oven dish. Place half a teaspoon of honey into each cavity and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on top. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes in a moderate oven. Serve with cream.

Poached figs – Simmer whole figs in a mixture of white wine, honey, lemon juice and lemon peel - to give extra taste. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, then add the figs and remove when cooked - about 5 minutes. To serve, drizzle over some of the mixture and top with cream, yoghurt or ice cream.   

If you have a favourite tip share it with others by visiting the oily rag website or write to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei. The book Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag by Frank & Muriel Newman is available from all good bookstores or online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.
 

Published 11th Mar 2011

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