- For the stuffing: Fry the onion and the red chilli in the olive oil until golden.
- Strain the freekeh, add it to the pan with the spices, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and the pomegranate molasses. Stir. Add 150ml water and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped herbs and stir again. Taste and season if necessary.
- Carefully slice off the top of each fig at the stalk end using a serrated knife. Keep the tops. With a teaspoon, very carefully hollow out some of the centre – putting the scooped-out fig flesh to one side. Be careful not to take out too much, or the figs will collapse.
- Fill the hollowed figs with the freekeh mix and cover with the reserved tops.
- For the sauce: Heat your oven to 200°C. Place the olive oil, scooped-out fig flesh, garlic, lemon, orange, red chilli and thyme in a large shallow, ovenproof, sauté pan with 120ml water, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Place the figs carefully in the pan, drizzle with pomegranate molasses and date molasses and sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, just to roast the figs (the stuffing is already cooked) and serve garnished with a handful of pomegranate seeds if you wish.
Freekeh figs in citrus sauce
Seasonal figs are filled with a hearty grain-based stuffing for a Succot special dish
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