It’s fig season again in Northern California! These luscious, versatile fruits are starting to appear in the local farmers markets.
There are many varieties of figs out there, but only a few are common in California. One of my favorites is the mission fig, which is deep purple in color and very sweet. This fig has two seasons – one in July for about two weeks and the other in the September-October timeframe.
Here is one of my favorite fig recipes using black mission figs – Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese and Serrano Ham.
Ingredients
1 7-lb pork shoulder roast, bone-in, tied
1 T olive oil
Gray sea salt
Pepper
2 c water
Fresh herbs, such as sage or rosemary, if desired
You will also need:
Roasting pan
Roasting rack
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300oF. Rub the roast with the olive oil and fresh herbs (if desired). Coat generously with gray sea salt. Sprinkle with freshly-ground pepper. Place the meat on the roasting rack in the roasting pan. Add 2 cups water to the bottom of the pan, making sure it does not touch the meat. Roast uncovered in the oven for 1 hour per pound of meat. When meat is done, remove from the oven and allow to rest at room temperature (this is difficult, as you really want to start eating this right away!) for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serves about 6-8 people.
Ingredients
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
1 T bacon drippings or olive oil
2 medium sweet onions, cut into ½” pieces
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-2 sprigs of marjoram, stripped and leaves chopped (plus more for garnish)
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
You will also need:
Large pot of salted water
Large saute pan
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Drain, pat dry and set aside.
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon drippings and let melt. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned – about 10-12 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and minced garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the sweet potatoes start to get a little brown – about 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped marjoram and season with salt and pepper, to taste
Serves 8.
This recipe pairs well with slow-roasted pork.
Apricots are starting to appear in the farmers markets in Northern California. Fresh apricots are really healthy for you, as they contain high amounts of beta carotein, the plant form of Vitamin A. Apricots are also high in anti-oxidents and fiber and low in calories, making them an excellent snack.
Apriums are now in the markets, too. I had no idea until a couple of years ago that an aprium actually existed, although it was invented in the late 80’s. Apriums are complex hybrids made from crossing apricots and plums. They look like an apricot on the outside and have a nicely sweet balance of apricot and plum flavors. They are generally only available in California markets in the June timeframe.
Try slicing fresh apricots or apriums over the top of low-fat Greek-style yogurt. Drizzle with a little honey to finish. Delicious!
