Figs in Brandy

Description

Courtesy of Eugenia Bone

Note from Eugenia: "I've adapted this recipe from my book, which calls for dried figs, for Texas readers because you guys are blessed with fresh summer figs."

It took having my first child, Carson, to appreciate just how much damned time and work my mother invested in raising me. So in a show of empathy and gratitude, every year for years I gave her a flat of figs, her favorite fruit, on my birthday. Somehow, her love of figs was transferred to me, and now I can't wait for them to come in. I love to eat fresh figs in pressed focaccia sandwiches with prosciutto, or after dinner with nuts and Gorgonzola cheese. For post-season garnishes and snacking, I preserve fresh figs in a light simple syrup.

Ingredients

At a glance

Main Ingredient

Fig

Course/Dish

Preserve

Makes

4 pints

5 lb. firm, ripe, uncracked figs
5 c. water
1½ c. sugar
1¼ c. brandy plus more for topping off
4 T. bottled lemon juice

Methods/steps

Wash figs and drain. Leave peels and stems on. Place the figs in a large pot and cover with water. Boil for a couple of minutes and drain.

Prepare a light syrup. Combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add the figs and boil gently for 5 minutes. Add the brandy and bring back to a boil, then take off heat.

Have ready 4 scalded pint jars, bands and new lids. (To scald, simply dip the jars in boiling water. You don't need to sterilize the jars as you will be processing them for over 10 minutes.). In the bottom of each jar place 1 T. of lemon juice. Stuff in the figs and cover them with the brandy syrup, leaving ½ inch of headroom. If there is not enough brandy syrup, bring the liquid up to ½ inch of the rim with extra brandy.

Place the jars on a rack in a big pot and cover with 3 inches of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over a high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil the jars for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and the, after about 5 minutes, remove the jars. Allow the jars to cool, untouched, for 4 to 6 hours. Check the seals and store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening.

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