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We have a "Brown Turkey" Fig bush that is absolutely LOADED with figs this year .... more than we've ever had. The bush is huge because it didn't freeze back to the roots this spring.
My uncle (now deceased) who gave us the bush, has a sister who is quite a good cook, does a lot of canning, & she makes "fig pickles". I have tasted her fig pickles & they are delicious. I asked her to send her recipe & I just got it the other day. When I looked online, I saw a recipe for fig pickles that is very close (same amounts of each ingredient) & virtually the same procedure. I finally found enough jars so I'm going to try this recipe for fig pickles & also one for fig jam.
A quick, refrigerator fig pickle recipe I found that also might be fun to try:
I don’t know a lot about figs. I know I’ve bought some dried ones that were way too sweet and sticky for me. How do you treat yours when you harvest them? (My husband and a friend both grew up with fig trees, but I never heard any stories or learned anything about them. I just remember that they had to wrap the tree up in Winter.)
Here’s my favorite fig recipe - it uses store-bought dried Calimyrnas, but someone who knows about figs can probably adapt it:
Carrots Sauteed with Toasted Walnuts and Figs
2-1/2 lbs. Sliced Carrots (? That always seemed like a lot, I usually use little more than half)
1 T. salt
1 Stick butter
1 Cup walnuts
1-1/2 to 2 T. flat leaved Italian parsley, chopped.
1 rounded cup Calimyrna Figs, with stems removed and
Each fig sliced in half lengthwise.
Bring a large pot of water to boil; add the 1 T. Salt and blanch carrots. Plunge in ice-water to cool, and set aside.
Melt 3 T. butter in large skillet. When hot, add walnuts. Cook, stirring constantly, until toasted (about 5 minutes over medium heat.)
Remove nuts with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Wipe skillet clean and add remaining butter. When melted, add carrots, stirring and tossing over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add figs, stir and cook together uncovered for 3 minutes to heat through. Add toasted walnuts. Stir and cook uncovered another 3 to 5 minutes over low flame until everything is hot and flavors mingle. Pour into serving bowl and toss with parsley.