Figs

Season: Late spring through early summer

Storage: Fresh figs have a short shelf life and will keep for three days when stored in the refrigerator.

Figs are a family of plants that include mulberry, the edible varieties come from the Ficus genus which includes 850 species. Figs have thrived for more than 40 million years and since have spread across the globe to become keystone species across a large variety of ecological niches. It is speculated as one of the first plants cultivated in the Middle East 11,000 years ago. This fleshy fruit has a sweet seedy interior that has a jam-like consistency.

Get local figs by joining our Farm Share or shopping at farmer’s markets, then share your favorite preparations through our Facebook page.

Fig & Honey Smoothie

Recipe by the spruce eats

Ingredients

  • 4 medium fresh figs

  • 1/2 medium ripe banana

  • 7 to 8 ounces plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, or to taste

Instructions

  • Gather the ingredients.

  • Cut the tips of the fig stems off, slice in half and add to a blender or small food processor.

  • Add the banana half, Greek-style yogurt, honey, salt, and 1/4 cup of the milk to the blender.

  • Puree until smooth and continue adding milk if you’d like a thinner consistency.

Note: If you would like a colder smoothie, peel the banana, cut in half, place in a plastic freezer bag and freeze before adding to the blender.

Fit, Goat Cheese, & Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Recipe by cake n knife

Ingredients

  • 12 oz store-bought or homemade pizza dough

  • 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

  • 1 white onion, sliced into thin strips

  • 1/4  cup water

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

  • 8 oz goat cheese

  • 6 ripe brown turkey figs

  • 1 cup arugula

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

  • Add the sliced onion to a dry medium sauté pan over medium heat. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally. If your stovetop burner is strong, you may need to reduce the heat to medium low to prevent burning. Once a good amount of color has developed (about 5-7 minutes), deglaze your pan with the water, stirring to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the water has cooked off, add 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. The onions should smell sweet and have a deep dark brown color. Remove from heat.

  • Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4-1/3 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet that has been lined with either parchment paper or a Silpat. Brush the dough with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  • Cut two figs into small pieces and sprinkle them over the dough. Crumble almost all of the goat cheese evenly over the dough (reserve approximately 1-2 oz for finishing) and top with the caramelized onions. Bake the flatbread for about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

  • Prepare the balsamic reduction while the flatbread is cooking. Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until it has reduced by half and has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar. Set aside to cool.

  • Thinly slice the remaining figs and once the flatbread is cooked, arrange them on the flatbread. Top with arugula and crumble the remaining goat cheese over the flatbread. Drizzle generously with the balsamic reduction. Slice and serve!

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