A late Rosh Hashanah means we’re at peak fig season.
I adore the purple or green mini globes with their soft, smooth skin and jammy middles and will be using plenty in my Rosh Hashanah menus. I’ll also be snacking on them whenever possible.
Tip – the heavier ones are generally sweeter, so if you can touch them before you buy, pick them up and see how they feel. Leave the lighter ones behind and pick their weightier shelf mates.
Salads:
1. Denise Phillips’s gorgeous-looking fig and freekeh salad (pictured above) reaches peak fig — with both fresh and sticky, dried figs included in a tasty vegan salad. Combined with softly sweet cooked red onions and a spritz of zesty lemon and it’ll disappear in no time.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]
2. Lisa Roukin’s This simple bulgur wheat, fig, grape and pomegranate salad makes a brilliant side for vegan and vegetarian guests and makes a colourful buffet option.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz
3. Figs are the main event in Amir Batito’s stuffed figs and freekeh recipe with citrus sauce. They’re hearty enough to make a brilliant vegan option for festive get togethers.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]
4. My salty sweet fig, pistachio and olive tapenade (with a slightly charoset vibe) is full of figgy flavours and crunchy texture from the nuts. Gorgeous with goat’s cheese, on a cheeseboard or with meats. Also makes a great host gift in a simple jar tied with ribbon.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]
5. Fabienne Viner-Luzzato’s fig, shallot and barley salad is made with dried figs, but at this time of year I’d happily substitute them for sweet, ripe, jammy fruits — either deep purple or green. Make sure to get the shallots lovely and soft and sweet by taking to time to really caramelise them.
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6. Amir Batito’s celery, apricot and fig salad makes me think twice about my celery aversion. The crunchy fruit and nut-filled recipe uses dried figs but would work well is you sub in some sweet, fresh fruits – or a mix of fresh and dried.
Main events:
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]
7. Silvia Nacamulli tops a side of salmon with sweet caramelised onions, red wine and jammy figs. Serve it on a bed of rocket for maximum effect.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz
8. Chicken and figs make perfect partners, and Silvia has used them and sweet Medjool dates plus spicey ginger and turmeric to create her sticky, fig roasted chicken Rosh Hashanah-ready main course.
Dessert:
A very delicious food board (Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz)[Missing Credit]
9. Serve them as they are as part of my Rosh Hashanah fruit and nut board. Simple, spectacular and delicious.
Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]
10. Or include them in delicious desserts, like my fig and pistachio tart — created especially for M&S Food — is simply delicious. There’s no fiddly pastry, just a nutty almond filling – that goes straight in the tin – topped with juicy figs. Decorate with fresh figs for a showstopping centrepiece.
Photo: Inbal Bar-OzPhoto: Inbal Bar-Oz
11. If you’re looking for a parev option pick this fig and pomegranate pudding cake which is made with ground almonds for nutty notes and makes a brilliant Rosh Hashanah finish
Photo: Paul Viner[Missing Credit]
12. Keep the sugar in check with Fabienne Viner-Luzzato’s fantastically fruity fig tart, which can be made dairy or parev and uses a reduced sugar fig jam in the
Photo: Marc Morris[Missing Credit]
13. This marzipan, fig and almond puff pastry tart from Denise Phillips is quick and easy. Ready-made marzipan and crunchy toasted almonds are perfect partners with fresh juicy figs.
Photo: Lauren Marsh[Missing Credit]
14. Lisa Roukin’s gluten free fig and almond tart can be made parev or milky, so a dessert that will be super useful – and delicious.
Breads:
Photo: Sarah Ginn[Missing Credit]
15. And they’re great in breads like this fig loaf from Chris Kitch, which pairs them with grapes, crunchy walnuts and aromatic rosemary.
