Here are a couple of recipes to try out:



Smokey Fig Marmalade

1 to 2 pounds of smoke-cured bacon, (depending on how meaty-flavored you want the marmalade)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds Walla Walla or Spanish sweet onions, sliced in crescents

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup agave syrup

1/4 cup minced roasted garlic

6 lbs figs, stemmed and quartered

Directions:

Soft-cook bacon to remove some of the fat; cut into 1-inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add onions along with the salt. Begin to cook slowly towards caramelization.

Just before caramelization, add balsamic vinegar, agave syrup, and the partly-cooked bacon.

Continue caramelizing; add salt and pepper to taste.

Add figs to the onion mixture for the last 15 minutes. If not overcooked, they will retain their fig appearance.

Cool.  Can store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Serving ideas:

• Use the marmalade in scrambled eggs (add some greens).

• Brush onto a steak before grilling.

• Smear it on pizza dough, top with crumbled gorgonzola cheese to taste, and bake.

      Add fresh, torn arugula atop.

Grilled Stuffed Figs

Leave stems on figs and toss in vinaigrette. Grill the figs until soft; watch and turn so they don’t burn.  

Cut an X into the bottom of each fig, and stuff with warm fig marmalade. Press a little gorgonzola butter into the marmalade stuffing. 
(To make gorgonzola butter, use a 4:1 ratio of gorgonzola cheese to butter.  Bring both to room temperature and then mix them together in a food processor or with a fork.)

12 fresh figs (at approximately 1 ounce each, smaller figs can be doubled up), stems trimmed

12 fig leaves cut to approximately 5 inches long, six inches wide, washed and patted dry, without stems

4 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

4 ounces heavy whipping cream whipped to medium peaks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the inside of a baking dish large enough to hold the wrapped figs and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Place a fig leaf on a cutting board, leaf stem side toward you with the rough side up. Brush lightly with butter on both sides.

Put one fig in the center of the leaf; fold the bottom of the leaf over the fig, then fold one side in and then the other. Roll to the top.

Place in the baking dish with the top side down so it won’t unroll. Repeat until all figs are wrapped and placed in the baking dish.

Sprinkle the wrapped figs with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

To serve, place 3 rolls on a plate.

Unwrap one roll leaving the fig in the leaf and place a dollop of unsweetened whipping cream on top.

Note: While the fig leaves are edible, a little goes a long way. The leaves impart a slight flavor

of coconut to the figs.

Nice thanks for sharing this!

Now I just have to figure out where to find ripe figs in December.

Oh these sound great.  I had not thought of using the leaves in cooking.  I did a little research awhile back and found several references in Materia Medicas about all the uses for the fig.  The leaf in particular has blood sugar regulation properties and is recommended as an infusion/tea.  I have a couple of jars of fig jam and am using them to make a favorite sandwich from Garland's Indian Garden's Cafe in Oak Creek Canyon.  Grilled sourdough bread with fig jam, brie, arugula and applewood smoked bacon.  WOW.  And they have just planted a fig at the cafe.  Looking forward to how it does.  It is the only fig tree I know of up Oak Creek.  Alas there are no ripe figs here in the middle of AZ either.  All the figs are under blankets or on heating pads.  Looking forward to a bountiful 2016...

Blue, now i am totally craving figs after reading your recipes! :-). Wow, thank you for sharing these and, are these your personal creations?

Jodi, I may have to take a short vacation to check out your clay oven and to visit the Garlands Indian Gardens Cafe...my mouth is WATERING!

Fig leaves are very good for health! A member posted something here but not sure who...I believe this is the link.
http://www.natures-health-foods.com/fig-leaves.html

Meg

Oh wow that link has so much good info.  Thanks for sharing it Meg.  I had no idea about using the leaves as remedies in addition to all the benefits of the marvelous fruits.  More reasons to love the figgies!  Blessed New Year.  Jodi

Thanks for the recipe. I have 4 trees in my backyard and I think the Grackles got more than me. 

I love putting figs on my pizzas in place of pineapple. They add a really nice flavor.

Thanks for the additional incite...  

  Here's another simple one that is surprisingly good:

Fig Quesadillas

• 1 1⁄2tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 4 (9 inch) flour tortillas
• 2cups coarsely shredded cheese(recommended Spanish Manchego, Pepper Jack, aged Cheddar, California Dry Jack, or Monterey Jack)
• 1cup trimmed and diced firm ripe green figs or 1 cup black fig
• 2tablespoons minced red onions
• 2tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 350°; brush a large baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Place the tortillas on the baking sheet.
3. Spread ¼ cup of the cheese on the bottom half of each tortilla.
4. Add a layer of figs (use about ¼ cup for each tortilla).
5. Sprinkle each with about ½ tablespoons red onion and ½ tablespoon cilantro; then top with ¼ cup of the remaining cheese.
6. Fold the tortilla over to make half-circles; press down lightly.
7. Bake about 8 minutes or until the tortillas are golden brown on the bottom.
8. Using a wide spatula, carefully turn the tortillas over; bake another 3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool slightly.
10. Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board; cut (using a knife or scissors) each one into 4 wedges.

The quesadilla sounds great. I will try that next fig season. Thanks!