Fichi Caramellati (Caramelized Figs)

By Loulies, posted 9 months ago

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda & Merrill's Notes:

We liked how Loulies (two friends, Bettina and Suzanne) keeps the figs whole, adding just a sliver of lemon zest, much as you might slip garlic in lamb, and uses rapid heat and a fragrant syrup (rum, sugar, vanilla bean) to quickly soften the fruit and glaze it. By the time the figs come out of the pan, they look laquered, collapsed but still intact -- and wonderfully fragrant. We ate the figs over Greek yogurt, but a dollop of mascarpone or ricotta would have done the job, too. If you have some leftover, we think it makes a perfectly acceptable breakfast: figs, yogurt and a little kick of rum. Which reminds us, the rum in the recipe is optional. In our minds, it is not! - A&M

inspiration from a year in Italy - Loulies

Serves 6-8

2 pounds ripe figs, washed
Lemon zest strips, 1-inch long and 1/4-inch wide (pith removed)
2 cups sugar
Rum, as needed (optional)
Vanilla Bean

Place whole figs in a deep, wide saucepan. Cut a small slit at the top of each fruit and insert a lemon zest strip into each slit. Sprinkle sugar over figs. Add water, or part water/part rum, to a depth of 1/4-inch in the pan. Place a vanilla bean in the center of the pan.
Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until sugar caramelizes, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.
Note: Pears can be prepared the same way: peel, halve, and core, then poach in simple syrup or wine with strips of lemon zest and vanilla bean. They take longer to cook than the figs.

Comments (9)Add yours

SarahS 7 months ago: I'm thinking of making this for New Year's eve meal. I mean, dessert - can't wait to eat this again.
newbiecook 7 months ago: Unless otherwise noted, this is Joyce Goldstein's recipe from her 2005 book "Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen"
eawnyc 8 months ago: I forgot to thank you for this. I served this with mascarpone. What if anything would you serve with the pear preparation?
mcvl 9 months ago: This is a lovely, lovely idea, especially the adorable little lemon-tongues peeping out of the figs' mouths. My husband said, comparing it to the fig clafoutis, that it would be a much better way to convince somebody to like figs. The figs in the clafoutis are swept up in a mad waltz of butter and cream and honey and spice and zest and apple brandy. Here, figs are front and center; the other ingredients bow graciously. We followed A&M's suggestion and served them with Greek yogurt. (Tomorrow morning we'll follow their suggestion and have the rest for breakfast.) I scaled the recipe back from roughly 50 figs (2 pounds) to 15 figs, four servings (two tonight, two tomorrow). Am I the only one who needs to scale all these recipes back?
mcvl 9 months ago: And we did indeed have more figs for breakfast with Zoom, a hot whole-wheat cereal, and unsweetened Silk. I had used a Meyer lemon for the lemon peel, and in the morning the figs were suffused with that Meyer perfume, much stronger than either the vanilla or the rum. So good!
AmeliaPS 9 months ago: delizioso!
mrslarkin 9 months ago: So simple! I'm trying this one!
mrslarkin 9 months ago: So simple! I'm trying this one!
testkitchenette 9 months ago: Love it!

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Fichi Caramellati (Caramelized Figs)

Amanda & Merrill's Notes:

Serves 6-8

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