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Home / Eat Well / Recipes

Pickled figs

Tamara West

Warren Elwin
By
Warren Elwin

Food writer

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These are as intriguing served warm with icecream as they are chilled and served with cheese, cold meats or terrines.

Ingredients

500 gFresh figs, slightly under-ripe with stems attached (Main)
1Star anise
1 pieceCinnamon stick
½ tspPeppercorns
½ tspAllspice berries
1 ½ cupsApple cider vinegar, or use red wine vinegar
½ cupRum, choose a spiced one
½ cupApple juice, or use water
3 TbspHoney
2 TbspBrown sugar
1 stalkLemongrass, use the stem end only
1Bay leaf
1Lemon, zest and juice, or use zest and juice of 1 orange
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Directions

  1. Gently wash and drain the figs. In a mortar and pestle, lightly crush star anise, cinnamon bark and peppercorns and allspice berries.
  2. In a saucepan, place apple cider (or red wine) vinegar, spiced rum, apple juice or water, honey and brown sugar. Add the spices, the lemongrass stalk, bay leaf, and the zest and juice of a lemon or orange.
  3. Bring to the boil then lower to a simmer. Add figs and gently poach for 45 minutes, or until they're soft. Remove figs to a sterilised jar, strain over the liquor and seal. Refrigerate once opened.

More of Warren's recipes using fresh figs

  • Fresh fig rolls
  • Easy beer and fig bread
  • Honey roasted figs

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