My Garden’s Figs with Global Flavours
We have two fig trees in our garden. Some years they give us only a handful of fruit; in others, they produce an astonishing abundance — often 10 to 20 figs a day throughout the whole summer. In those glorious years, we eat figs as a starter, a main, a dessert, and even as a snack.
This recipe reflects the international couple we are, just as many of our friends are too: figs from Portugal, maple syrup from Canada, Gorgonzola from our travels in Italy, and a finishing touch of sherry vinegar from Spain. It works beautifully as a simple mid‑week starter or a savoury dessert, and with a few additions, it becomes a striking first course in a dinner party with friends. I hope you enjoy it.
Serves 4 (can easily be doubled to serve 8)
Ingredients
12 small figs (3 per person) or 6 large figs (ideally those with purple or almost black skin)
150 to 200 g of Gorgonzola, cut into 12 cubes (or as close to cubes as possible)
Black pepper to taste
8 tablespoons of maple syrup
8 tablespoons of sherry vinegar
Optional to serve: prosciutto - 1 to 2 slices (fresh or roasted) per plate
Optional to serve: rocket leaves, drizzled with olive oil per plate
Equipment
Oven tray where you can lay all the figs with clear space between them
Small bowl or pouring jug
Small whisk or spoon
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan or 220°C conventional.
2. If using small figs, slice them downwards to divide each fig into four quarters, but without cutting all the way through - as shown in the photo. If your figs are large, slice them fully in halves. Each serving will have 1½ figs.
3. Arrange the figs in the oven tray, leaving enough space between them as they will tend to open while cooking. Season each fig with a little black pepper.
4. Place the tray in the pre‑heated oven and cook for 2.5 to 3 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven (but keep the oven on), place one cube of cheese on each fig (or fig half), and return the tray to the oven for another 2.5 to 3 minutes. At this stage, the cheese should have melted, though there may still be a few solid bits.
5. While the figs cook, mix the maple syrup and sherry vinegar well using a small whisk or spoon.
6. When the cooking time is up, serve the figs immediately: 3 per person on individual plates for small figs, or all together on a large serving plate. Spoon a few tablespoons of the maple syrup and vinegar mixture over the top. If any sauce remains, bring it to the table. Eat immediately and enjoy.
Tips
Maple syrup and sherry vinegar may sometimes be difficult to find, so you can replace them with honey and red wine vinegar.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, prepare it in advance and gently boil it in a small saucepan to reduce it by half.
For a more substantial starter for a special dinner with friends, we often serve this recipe over rocket and finish it with prosciutto.