Recipe of the week – FRESH FIGS

I’ve been reading a lot lately about fresh figs. I can’t say I’ve ever eaten one and I certainly have never cooked with one. Intrigued, I set out to find a little bit more out about figs.

Figs are packed with heath benefits from high amounts of fiber, minerals and other nutrients and they provide 20 percent of the daily fiber recommendations per serving - more than any other common fresh or dried fruit.

Prime harvesting season for fresh figs is mid-June to mid-October. Snatch them up and use them as soon as you find them in the market as they will spoil within seven to ten days of harvesting. In most cases this means you have about 3 days at most to use them at home.

Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are the real fruit!

Here are two fig recipes I came across! Enjoy!


Grecian Fig Chicken Salad

1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed with a garlic press
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups (1 pound) cooked, diced chicken breast meat
1 1/2 cups (15.5 ounces) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup (about 10) California figs, diced
3 cups (4 ounces) mixed salad greens
6 tablespoons (1 ounce) chopped fresh mint

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended.

Add the chicken, chickpeas, cucumber, onion and figs; stir and toss to coat well. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve, divide the salad greens among 6 individual plates. Top each with an equal amount of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the mint.

Serves 6


Crostini With Figs And Nuts

1 package (8 oz) California dried figs
¾ cup nuts, very coarsely chopped
1 carton (12 oz) soft cream cheese
Baguette

Snip stems from figs and cut figs into small pieces.

Toast nuts in 300-degree oven for 5 to 6 minutes, just until fragrant but not browned.

Combine figs, nuts and cheese in food processor or mixer and process just until blended.

Heat baguette to freshen.

Cut crosswise into small slices. Spread each slice with fig mixture.

Serve at room temperature. Makes 2 cups spread (about 36 appetizers).

Stace