Season: August to September. The fig is a member of the mulberry family and is generally best suited to warmer climates. A contented, well-positioned homegrown tree can crop well, usually in August and September. There are countless varieties, ranging in color from purply black to yellowy green–any can be used for this recipe. Just make sure, when picking or buying, that your figs are ripe, as they do not ripen after picking. This recipe uses a simplified version of the oven method. Everything is cooked and hot to start with, so it’s not necessary to heat the jars for an extended time in the oven. A few jars of these honey-soaked fruits, stored away for the winter months, will be a blissful reminder that the hot days of summer were not just a fig-ment of your imagination. .
Recipe information
Yield
makes two 8-ounce jars
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 275°F and put your sterilized jars (see p. 152) inside to heat.
Step 2
Wash the figs and remove any hard, twiggy bits of stem–but do not cut right back to the flesh, as this risks splitting the skin.
Step 3
Put the orange juice, tea, and honey into a pan and gently heat to a simmer to make a syrup. Add the figs and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Using a slotted spoon, take out the figs and carefully pack them into the hot jars. It may be a bit of a squash, but figs quite like this. Return the filled jars to the oven to keep warm–it is important to keep the jars as hot as possible to create a successful seal.
Step 4
Bring the fruit syrup to a boil and boil for 6 to 7 minutes to reduce it in volume. Stand the jars on a wooden surface or newspaper and pour the hot syrup over the figs, filling the jars to the brim. Seal immediately with lids, clips, or screw-bands. Leave undisturbed for 24 hours, then check that the seal is secure (see p. 158). Use within 1 year.
