Fruit of the gods

By Jan Cheshire

​WE’VE been enjoying lots of fresh figs this year. They are so versatile served either as a dessert, or our favourite fig dish, baked with blue cheese with a salad or as an entrée.

The fig tree is thought to be the first crop to be domesticated for human consumption, well over 11,000 years ago. The fig was prominent in Greek, Egyptian and Roman culture, and of course, is famous for its association with Adam and Eve in the Bible.

---

BAKED FIGS WITH WALNUTS  (serves 4)
Ingredients
12 ripe figs
3 tablespoons of caster sugar
1 tablespoon of orange juice
65 grams of walnut halves
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of orange flower water (optional)

Method

1. Arrange figs (halved or quartered) in a buttered dish.
2. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the orange juice.
3. Bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees basting with juices.
4. Add walnuts and remaining sugar. 
5. Turn oven down to 150 degrees and bake for a further 10 minutes.
6. Arrange on a serving dish.
7. Add the honey and orange flower water to cooking juices in a saucepan and warm over low heat.
8. Spoon over the figs.
9. Serve warm or cold with yoghurt.

BAKED FIGS WITH GORGONZOLA AND PROSCIUTTO (serves 2)
Ingredients
6 figs
100 grams gorgonzola or other blue cheese
6 thin slices of prosciutto
200mls thickened cream
Rocket to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and line a baking tin with paper.
2. Trim the figs and cut a cross in the top.
3. Gently squeeze the top of each to open slightly.
4. Place a small piece of blue cheese in each cross.
5. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each fig.
6. Place on baking tin and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Make a sauce by heating the cream gently in a pan and whisking in any remaining cheese.
8. Season.
9. Serve with rocket leaves.

Happy cooking.