Now is the time to buy figs. It’s coming to the end of the season and they’re ripe, sweet with the strongest flavour. Just right for making this delicious Confit de Figues, or Fig jam. This recipe comes from a family friend and wonderful cook called Francois, who runs a busy trout fishing business high in the mountains of the Cevennes National Park, in Southern France. She spends the summer cooking up feasts for hungry fisherman, holidaymakers and locals.
This jam goes perfectly with all game, duck, and chilled red meat and ham as well as all types of cheese. I try and make as much as possible, to have some to eat now, but also enough to keep for Christmas. I made it for the first time last year and served it up with small pieces of cold ham on crackers at our Christmas party. It went down extremely well, with many guests asking for the recipe. So here it is.
Confit de Figues recipe
Ingredients
500g fresh figs - 200g sugar - 2 tbl spn vinegar (I used cider but you can use any really according to your taste) - Juice of 1 lemon - 4 tbl spns of olive oil - pinch of salt, pepper to taste - 1 tbl spn thyme – 1 tbl spn rosemary
500g fresh figs - 200g sugar - 2 tbl spn vinegar (I used cider but you can use any really according to your taste) - Juice of 1 lemon - 4 tbl spns of olive oil - pinch of salt, pepper to taste - 1 tbl spn thyme – 1 tbl spn rosemary
Method
Melt the sugar with the vinegar and lemon juice.
Melt the sugar with the vinegar and lemon juice.
Add the oil and figs cut into 4 and stir. Add the herbs , salt and pepper.
Simmer until the figs are soft ( 20-30 minutes).Blend depending on the texture you like.
Pour when hot into oven sterilised jars to preserve.
Makes approximately 300ml of jam – this recipe can be doubled and cooked in bigger batches with a longer cooking time. Le Parfait jars are perfect for preserving this jam.
