Seasonal Pantry: Time is ripe for fragile figs

After I wrote last week's column but before it was published, several friends asked about padron and shishito chiles, the topic of that column. In the past few several days, inquiries have been mostly about figs and have made me realize I haven't paid much attention to them recently. It's about time, don't you think?

Every farmers market has figs right now, and the ones I've seen are plump and all but bursting with sugary syrup. Because they are so sweet, I've always preferred figs with some sort of counterpoint, salty Marcona almonds, perhaps, or prosciutto, possibly a fig's finest companion.

A wedge of fig wrapped in prosciutto, sometimes filled with cheese, sometimes not, is a ubiquitous fall appetizer and especially delicious with sparkling wine.

Figs are fragile and they go from dead ripe to over the hill fairly quickly. If you have a lot of them, you might want to make fig shrub; the drink syrup will keep in the refrigerator for weeks.

For more recipes from the Seasonal Pantry's archives, visit 'Eat This Now' at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com, where you can also post questions about figs or tell us your favorite way to enjoy them.

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This voluptuous risotto is inspired by a recipe in Marie Simmons's lovely book 'Fig Heaven' (Morrow, 2004), a collection of 70 recipes that any fig lover should have in their library. Two variations follow this recipe, one that replaces the prosciutto with bacon and one for vegetarians, using olives and vegetable broth.

Fresh Fig Risotto with Prosciutto

Serves 3 to 4

6 cups homemade chicken stock

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

2 tablespoons butter

3-4 figs, cut in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, minced

1¼ cup Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice

— Kosher salt

½ cup Madeira wine, preferably Rainwater style

4-5 figs, cut into small dice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

— Black pepper in a mill

3 ounces grated Vella Dry Jack or similar cheese

Pour the stock into a saucepan, set over a low flame or burner and keep hot.

Cut 2 slices of prosciutto into thin julienne and set aside. Mince the remaining prosciutto and set it aside, too.

Put the butter into a medium saucepan (an All-Clad saucier is ideal), set over medium heat and when it is melted add the figs, cut side down. Saute 3 to 4 minutes, turn and saute 3 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set in a warm (200-degrees) oven.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the olive oil and the onion and saute until the onion is soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until each grain is milky white.

Season with salt. Add the Madeira and stir until it is completely absorbed.

Add the stock ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition until the liquid is completely absorbed. Continue until the rice is tender, about 16 to 20 minutes; if the stock runs low, add about a cup of water to it.

When the rice is almost tender, add the diced figs and the minced prosciutto and continue to stir gently. Add the final bit of stock, the parsley, several turns of black pepper and the cheese. Taste and correct for salt.

Ladle into soup plates and top each portion with julienned prosciutto, halved figs and a few turns of black pepper. Enjoy right away.

Variations

With bacon: Omit the butter, olive oil and prosciutto. Fry 4 or 5 slices of bacon until crisp and drain on absorbent paper. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and continue as directed in the recipe. Chop or crumble the bacon and add it to the risotto with the diced figs.

Vegetarian: Omit the prosciutto and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Add ½ cup minced black olives with the diced figs. Scatter some sliced black olives over the risotto before adding the figs.

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Cooked chutneys, rich, thick and very sweet, are the most common in the U.S., but uncooked chutneys have a long tradition in India; some are sweet, others are savory. This one, which takes just a few minutes to make, is perfect when you have a lot of figs begging to be eaten. It makes an excellent sandwich spread and is a delicious condiment with all types of curries and roasted poultry and meats. It is also quite good with wild Pacific king salmon. To deepen the resonance with salmon, roast the fish on a bed of fig leaves.

A Simple Fresh Fig Chutney

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

10 ripe figs

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons cumin seed, toasted and crushed

1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1⁄2 cup water

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Remove any stems from the figs, chop them coarsely, and put them in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Pulse several times, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the water and pulse again several times, until the mixture forms a coarse puree.

Transfer to a nonreactive container, stir in the cilantro, if using, and refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. This chutney should be used within 2 to 3 days.

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This shrub is an ideal use for balsamic vinegar, as its sweetness mirrors the sweetness of the figs themselves, creating a sort of alchemy between ingredients.

Fig Shrub

Makes about 3 cups

7-8 Black Mission figs, chopped, plus more as needed

1 cinnamon stick, optional

1 tablespoon white peppercorns, optional

1 bay leaf

— Good quality balsamic vinegar

Put the figs into a quart glass jar, filling it almost to the top but not packing the figs tightly; tuck in the cinnamon stick, peppercorns and bay leaf, if using. Slowly pour in the vinegar until the figs are completely covered. Add a double square of wax paper or parchment, secure the lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days and as long as a week or so. Shake the jar now and then when you think of it.

Line a strainer with 2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth, set over a deep bowl and strain the liquid into the bowl. Let the figs sit in the strainer for a while to drain completely.

Pour the liquid into a bottle, secure with a cork, refrigerate and use within a month or so.

After straining, the figs can be cooked and seasoned to make chutney.

To serve the shrub, fill a glass with ice and add still or sparkling water, leaving enough room for 2 tablespoons of the shrub. Pour in the shrub and enjoy right away. You may also use still or sparkling wine.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 24 books to date, including the new 'Good Cook's' series. Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You'll find her blog, 'Eat This Now,' at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.