One of the dishes served was a fig and burrata salad and my friend reminded me of how much I loved figs as long as 40 years ago. One of the things about them is their seasonality. I was in Cork in the summer and there was a fig tree in the garden of the venue I was cooking at, completely overrun with green, unripe fruit. I imagine them picking the fruit now, enjoying it ripe drizzled with honey and soft cheese, and the kitchen filled with the sounds and smells of aromatic pots of bubbling chutney and jam to preserve the fruit and the memory of them growing. They’re available in shops now and need to be enjoyed while they’re here.
Figs and honey have a natural affinity. Slice the figs, crumble on some blue cheese and drizzle with honey for a delicious snack. Or criss-cross the top of them with a knife, not going completely through the fruit and poke in goat’s cheese. Drizzle with a little honey, sprinkle with some fresh thyme leaves and bake until bubbling and golden. Serve this with a salad for a light lunch or starter.
Grilling figs brings out the natural sugars and in the recipe here I’ve paired them with some goat cheese. I recently discovered a cheese called Cnoc Liatroma from the Leitrim Hills Creamery. Its taste and soft mousse-like texture stopped me in my tracks and I was so thankful that fresh figs are in season to serve with it. The honey in this instance comes in the form of a dressing with good olive oil and some balsamic. I would rather have a teaspoon of good oil, honey or vinegar than a glug of some mass-produced stuff.
Burren Balsamics make a vinegar that’s infused with dates, cinnamon and za’atar that is the perfect addition to the dressing. We are blessed with good delis across the country to pick up quality ingredients. I get my honey from a local farm shop and for the standard
For something sweet, a honey cake is the perfect vehicle to serve with figs. It’s a simple recipe where you melt honey and butter in a pan, let it cool and then whisk in sugar, eggs and flour before baking. The honey you use will have an impact on the finished taste.
More honey is cooked, a little cream added and cooled before folding into whipped cream with vanilla. Pipe or spoon onto the cake and dot with slices of fresh figs. The garnish here is fuchsia as it’s edible, beautiful and the neighbours don’t seem to miss a few flowers going missing.
Walnut bread bruschetta with grilled figs, goat’s cheese and honey dressing
What you’ll need
• For the walnut bread
• 250g strong bread flour
• 35g finely chopped walnuts
• 7g instant yeast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 dessertspoon honey
• 25ml oil
• 90ml dry cider
• 100ml lukewarm water
Method
Mix the flour, walnuts, yeast and salt in a bowl.
Whisk the honey, oil, cider and water together and mix into the dry ingredients. Mix to a dough then turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place in a bowl ,cover with a teatowel and leave for an hour. Knock back the dough and roll into a ball then a round about 2cm thick. Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and leave for half an hour. Set oven to 200oc and bake bread for about 30 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely.
Slice the bread and cook on a grill pan until toasted.
• 8 ripe figs
• 200g soft goat’s cheese
• Handful of mixed leaves
• 1 dessertspoon honey
• 25ml balsamic vinegar
• 75ml good olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the figs in quarters and brush lightly with oil. Cook on a grill pan to scorch.
Whisk the honey, vinegar and oil together and season with salt and pepper. Add the figs and leaves and toss well.
Spoon the figs and leaves onto the grilled bread. Slice the cheese and arrange on top.
Honey cake with burnt honey cream and figs
Honey cake with burnt honey cream and figs
What you’ll need
• 250g honey
• 225g butter
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 300g self raising flour
Method
Chop the butter and melt in a saucepan with the honey. Mix in the sugar.
Cool for 10 minutes then whisk in the eggs and then the flour.
Pour into a cake tin or individual tins and bake for about 40 minutes in a preheated 160oc oven. Reduce the cooking time for smaller cakes – insert a skewer and when it comes out clean its ready. Allow to cool.
For the burnt honey cream
• 50ml honey
• 350ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Cook the honey for a minute on high heat then cool and add 50ml of the cream and the vanilla. Whip the remaining cream and fold in the honey. Spoon or pipe onto the cooled cake and arrange sliced figs over the top.
