16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (2024)

FAQs

Can I freeze figs? ›

Like many other fruits and vegetables, figs can easily be frozen and used in a variety of dishes. This year when fig season comes around, make sure to buy a few extra pounds to freeze and eat in the future. You can swap fresh for frozen figs in many recipes such as this one for easy Fig Bread.

Apple, blackberry, blood orange, elderberry, honeydew, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, persimmon, raspberry, spinach, tamarind. Almonds, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, hazelnuts, mint, rosemary, thyme, vanilla, walnuts.

The prime harvesting season for fresh figs is mid-June to mid-October. If you see them in a market, buy them only if you plan to use them quickly. Fresh figs will spoil within seven to ten days of harvesting. In most cases, this means you have about three days at most to use them at home.

And blue cheese and figs is a classic for good reason. You can never go wrong with Gorgonzola, and for those who are hesitant about blues, take a bite of sweet, mellow, fudgy Bay Blue from Point Reyes together with a fig, and then let me know if you've changed your mind (both available at Murray's Cheese).

The General Guideline: On average, 2-4 figs per day can be a sweet spot for most people, balancing taste and nutritional benefits. Your Personal Needs: Your individual needs, health condition, and lifestyle can affect the ideal amount of figs for you.

Soaking figs in water makes them softer and easier to digest.

Along with the fruit, fig leaves and fig leaf tea appear to be beneficial for health. Dried figs in particular may help relieve constipation. However, figs may interfere with blood thinning medications due to their vitamin K content, and dried figs should be eaten in moderation due to their high sugar content.

Too much moisture can cause the figs to spoil more quickly. Wash them right before eating. Although fresh figs do not continue to ripen once they've been picked, they can still turn soft and mushy if left out on the counter.

Poor quality figs tend to be bland and mushy, while high-quality sun-dried figs are fruity and sweet with an almost caramel-like taste.

Why do dried figs turn black? ›

Aspergillus niger is a type of mold that penetrates into figs and turns the color into black when grows inside figs and that black structures cannot be usually observed from outside.

Flavors to partner with figs include nuts, vinegars including balsamic and sherry vinegars, honey, cured meats like prosciutto and ham, warm spices including cinnamon and cardamom, herbs like rosemary and thyme, and dairy, especially cheese. Because they are so high in sugar, fresh figs caramelize easily when roasted.

A fruit that pairs well with bold flavors, figs are the star of this simple yet decadent fig pizza. You can make it vegan, meaty, or ultra-cheesy, depending on your preference. Using store-bought pizza dough makes this recipe weeknight-friendly.

Menniti says this love of fig trees comes from reverence for a historical means of survival. For agricultural people in Southern Italy, a fig tree offered a source of fruit that could be dried and kept for lean times. The trees also became a symbol of adaptation.

It depends on the storage conditions – dried figs will last from 6 to 12 months in the cool, drafty, and dry pantry. It is important to keep them in a cooler area away from humidity. In the fridge, they can last a similar time, up to 12 months. In the freezer, they can last indefinitely.

Native to Mediterranean Europe, Asia and Africa, most mature fig trees can tolerate temperatures down to about 20 degrees. Some varieties, like Celeste and Hardy Chicago, are even more cold-hardy, but even they can succumb to deep freezes. Regardless of the variety, all benefit from some protection.

Unfortunately, freezing dried figs can alter their texture a little, and so we only recommend it as a last resort.