Recipe Redux: Honey Fig Jam with Goat Cheese

Honey Fig Jam

This month’s Recipe Redux recipes are focused on spreads, condiments and salad dressings so I thought I’d offer up my new absolutely favorite spread: Honey Fig Jam. Yes, it’s a jam, but really it’s so much more.  In fact there’s probably not a lot I wouldn’t put this spread on.  Here’s a few of my favorites:

• Mixed into oatmeal with cinnamon and almonds
• Spread on a sandwich of Ciabatta bread with thinly sliced Proscuitto, Parmesan or Manchego cheese and sliced fresh figs
• Dolloped on broiled or grilled chicken, pork loin, pork chops or fish (I think it goes nicely with salmon)
• Swirled into yogurt with granola and fresh figs
• Tossed with mini meatballs to make a sweet n’ sour meatball dish

And of course the ultimate: on a rosemary cracker topped with goat cheese, toasted almonds and a touch of fresh rosemary – heaven!

Fig jam and goat cheese on rosemary crackers

Late summer and early Fall is fig season.  Ever since I can remember my family had fig trees. My grandfather had the biggest one (a proud centerpiece to his garden) he brought over from Sicily and this “mama” tree had generously produced many offspring.  Each year we would wrap the fig tree to keep it warm through the winter on Thanksgiving and then unwrap it around Easter.  As a reward we were blessed with an almost endless supply of black figs which we often ate straight from the tree, giving them to friends and family. 

When I got older and started my own family I kept the tradition but it hasn’t been easy.  It takes several years for a fig tree to give fruit.  After three years my first fig tree rewarded me with abundance of fruit allowing me to make fig jam, fig cookies and fig everything.  But, it grew so big that it overshadowed my only garden patch so the next year we moved it.  Bad move.    

My fig tree, withered, died and then grew back again.  For seven years I nursed it (and grew several others but to no avail – figs were sparse if any appeared at all).  Then three years ago I decided to plant a new fig tree near where the original one was. It grew . . . and grew.  This year I was once again blessed with a wealth of figs (it took seven years) – even after that horrible rain.  The result are figs stuffed with blue cheese and prosciutto, figs stuffed with goat cheese and almonds, figs drizzled with balsamic vinegar, figs in salads, fig sauces, fig cookies and my wonderful fig jam. Although I did it with fresh figs I think it may be worth it to experiment with dried.

Honeyed Fig Jam

There are tons of variations: some possibilities include : adding a cinnamon stick, stirring in some chopped almonds for crunch, ginger,  mixing in some fresh herbs like  rosemary, thyme or basil, liquors and vinegars like balsamic vinegar, red wine, port, or Grand Mariner.      

Makes 1 cup

1 lb. fresh figs (about 8 to 10 large figs)

½ cup Sucanat or any granulated sugar (you could add a bit less if your figs are really sweet)

¼ cup honey

1 3-inch piece lemon peel

juice of ½ lemon

Pinch of salt

1. Chop figs and place in medium saucepot, along with sugar, honey, lemon peel, lemon juice and salt.  Bring to a low simmer and cook for about 1 hour stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken. 
2. Since my figs were fresh off the tree, and we had such wet weather, I did not need to add any water, but if you’re figs are drier, you may want to dissolve sugar and honey in ¼ to ½ cup water in the first step before adding the rest of ingredients. 
3. After fig jam cools (don’t worry it will thicken as it sits) place in jars seal and store in refrigerator or freezer. Stays for several weeks in the refrigerator but I doubt it will last that long.

 Makes great Christmas gifts!

Please visit other recipe reduxers:

Carlene Helble-Carlene’s Figments Roasted Eggplant Pepper Schmeer http://carlenesfigments.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/eggplant-pepper/

Deanna Segrave-Daly – Teaspoon of Spice Sicilian Relish http://teaspooncomm.com/teaspoonofspice/2011/09/the-recipe-redux-sicilian-relish/

Cherie Schetselaar Grain Crazy Fry Sauce http://graincrazy.blogspot.com/2011/09/fry-sauce.html

Dr Barb – Nutrition Budgeteer Jalapeno Ranch Dressing is Versatile & Healthier http://nutritionbudgeteer.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Jarrard- Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat it Spicy Tahini Dressing http://www.dontwhitesugarcoatit.com

Kara Lydon – Peace, Love, and Food Edamame Hummus http://peaceloveandfood.com/2011/09/21/recipe-redux-edamame-hummus/

Kat Lynch – Eating The Week Citrus Sesame Avocado Dressing  http://eatingtheweek.com/2011/09/21/dressing/

Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition Recipe Redux Kitchen Garden Salsa Verde http://www.scoopnutrition.com/2011/09/recipe-redux-kitchen-garden-salsa-verde/

Emma Cutfield-The Hearty Heart Go-Go-Goji: Blood Building Salad Dressing http://www.theheartyheart.com/2011/09/go-go-goji-blood-building-salad-dressing

Lisa @ Healthful Sense Sweet Peanut Sauce & Dressing http://www.healthfulsense.com/

Regan @ The Professional Palate Ponzu Sauce http://professionalpalate.squarespace.com/blog/the-recipe-redux-ponzu-sauce.html

Danielle Omar – Food Confidence RD Recipe Redux: Your New Favorite Vinaigrette http://foodconfidence.com/2011/09/21/recipe-redux-your-new-favorite-vinaigrette

Stephanie Howard – Give Them Something Better Creamy Garlic Feta Dressing http://givethemsomethingbetter.blogspot.com/2011/09/the-challengesalad-dressings-and-condiments.html

Nicole Ferring Holovach – Whole Health RD Mapple Salad Dressing http://www.wholehealthrd.com/mapple-salad-dressing

Kristen @ Swanky Dietitian Italian Vinaigrette Artichoke Dressing http://swankydietitian.com

Ann Dunaway Teh – Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish Thai Basil Peanut Pesto http://www.dunawaydietetics.com/recipe-reduxthai-basil-peanut-pesto/

Kristina @ Love and Zest Spiced Pumpkin Dip http://loveandzest.com/2011/09/spiced-pumpkin-dip.html

Meg @ Meg’s Food Reality Sweet Potato Hummus http://megsfoodreality.com/2011/09/recipe-redux-sweet-potato-hummus

gretchen | kumquat dairy-free ranch dressing http://kumquat-blog.blogspot.com/2011/09/recipe-redux-dairy-free-ranch-dressing.html

Everyday Tastiness Pistachio Butter http://www.everydaytastiness.com/2011/09/pistachio-butter.html

Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD How to Roast Garlic & a Recipe for Roasted Garlic Hummus http://inspiredrd.com/2011/09/how-to-roast-garlic.html

EA Stewart-The Spicy RD Creamy Triple Pepper and Kale Dip http://eastewart.com/blog

Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex – Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen Garden-Fresh Tomato & Avocado Salsa http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/?p=13204

Jessica Fishman Levinson – Nutritioulicious Butternut Squash Cream Cheese Spread http://nutritioulicious.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/recipe-redux-butternut-squash-cream-cheese-spread

Diane Welland – Eatwelleatclean Honey Fig Jam  http://www.eatwelleatclean.com