Figs and leaves

By now it is no secret that I am always looking for more yield from everything I grow and figs are no exception to this rule.

I love to cook with, as well as in, leaves of many plants and fig leaves are my favourite wrap for imparting flavours and elevating the simplest ingredients. Stick a couple in the pot while steaming rice, then discard after use, but see how much that simple step elevate that humble dish.

Like most little known ingredients fig leaves can be freely obtained by asking tree owners if you can harvest some.

But first a word of warning!

When cut, the ends of the leaf stem and immature fruits exudes a milky latex like sap that is NOT edible and is actually an irritant.

This is not immediately obvious if like the fig on the left it is harvested without a wound. We simply cut the top and leave to bleed out and after several minutes we are good to go.

Two similar sized fig leaves interlaced makes a decent surface for a filling.

My favourite fig leaf parcel is a mushroom onion and homemade non-dairy cheese. It is simple and quick.  

We caremalise a large onion in rapeseed oil. 

We combine with mushrooms, garlic, a mild aji chilli finely diced,  a spoonful of yacon syrup, rosehip or both.

Mix in cheese and wrap the parcel, then pop in a hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

I find the aromas a treat in itself even before the parcels open.

Our favourite combo is to pair the parcels with oatmeal and flaxseed buttermilk pancakes. When vegan friends visit we make these with a homemade nut milk instead.

Our fig tree has been truly productive this year. Despite the drought which caused

some early fruit drop it is still yielding it's sweet bounty. I love eating and cooking with figs. However as the harvest winds towards it's ending the question is what to do with the immature fruits.

Too late to reach maturity, leaving them on put unnecessary strain on the tree as they are too large to successfully overwinter.

I can't bear to compost them instead I boil them in a yacon and agave mix with a handful of deseeded rosehips until they are a sticky gooey delight that last as long as willpower will allow. They are as much at home with raw home made ice cream, as a filling for homemade chocolate or chopped into a chilli or a curry.

These stewed figs are a favorite with family and friends and only get better with age. The longest I have managed to keep a jar was two years, unfortunately once opened it disappeared in minutes.

So as the main cropping season wind down and we continue with our autumn planting I am already planning the winter treats we can enjoy with the young fig harvest.