Green fig preserves
Green figs grow like mad in Vancouver, here’s a simple recipe for Persian style green fig preserves which are traditionally eaten for breakfast with bread, butter and nuts. When you cook figs the flavours really come out as the sugar caramelizes. I’m not one for eating them raw as they just taste like sugar at that point. Adding hints of rosewater and cardamom give complexity to the whole fruit and they present really well on the plate:) Like many Persian jams, this recipe only calls for a few ingredients and no pectin or gelatin is needed. Either green or purple figs can be used, so ask your neighbours for some fruit! I can guarantee that they probably aren’t using them all.
Pick your figs when they are soft to the touch, the riper the better the flavour.
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lb ripe figs
- 2 tsp cardamon
- 2 tbs rose water or 3 tbs rose petals
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 2 cups sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Put figs in a wide, heavy bottomed pot. Cover with sugar. Let the figs sit covered with a lid overnight(4-5 hours at least).
Simmer on medium/low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until the figs have darkened slightly in color and the syrup has thickened. Then, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of rosewater, and 2 teaspoons of ground cardamon. Cook on low for 15 more minutes and you’re done, can the figs in jars or just refrigerate if you’ll eat them more quickly.
For the rose petals, if you want to harvest your own, wild rose petals are the most fragrant, usually. You really need them to be super pungent to hold their scent if you dry them or use them fresh in recipes.
