Incredible Fig Jam

Ready to be cooked

So there I was in the south of Spain sitting with friends in one of my favourite bodegas when in strolls a local farmer with bags of fresh figs from his land. What’s a girl to do? Buy as many as she can and get straight into the kitchen, that’s what.

 I love fresh figs and ate half a dozen while I was deciding what to do with the rest of the luscious fruit. I stood looking down at them and then remembered this amazing dish I had eaten in a Greek restaurant on the island of Kalymnos. Maria and George run the Aegean Tavern and they make the most incredible Greek food. Sharing dinner with friends one night at the restaurant, we ordered a plate of ‘Mizithra’ – a Greek cheese reminiscent of smooth firm ricotta. The cheese came with, amongst other things a chunky Fig Jam. I was sold. Here is my interpretation.

 ingredients

• 12 Fresh Figs cut into quarters

• 2 Oranges peeled and chopped

• 1 Lemon peeled and chopped

• 400gm sugar

• 2 tbsp sea salt - optional

method

• Place the fruit and half of the sugar into a pot on a medium heat

• Have a taste once the sugar starts to melt and add more as you like – it’s all about taste

• If you would like your jam to have a bit of a sweet/salty edge to it (which is how I like it) add some salt. I do this because I like to use the jam for savoury dishes like roast pork.

• Stir your lovely jam and cook it for about an hour until it thickens and reduces by about a third

• Allow it to cool and then put your beautiful creation in a sterilised jar.

• Tuck in when ever the feeling comes over you