Today I found a forgotten jar of spiced figs in brandy, made two years ago when we were shooting photos for my 'Relish' book on relishes and chutneys (and more)
However, when my favourite fruit is in season, such as plums, cherries, or figs, I tend to get a bit carried away and cook up bigger batches of jam or chutney
The beets, apples and figs found their way in (being more "clean-up / clean-out" items) for a touch of extra sweetness and body, not to mention providing pops of texture when stirred into rice or dolloped onto grilled meat
Savory Fig and Sweet Onion Freezer Jam from Peaceful Cooking. I found the inspiration for this "late season" condiment in Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays by Jennifer Katzinger, which I packed with flavourful coconut oil and flakes, as well as a sweet and hot medley of exotic spices (including Schezuan peppercorns), garlic and fresh ginger
Savory Fig and Sweet Onion Freezer Jam from Peaceful Cooking. anythingdoesmyI found the inspiration for this "late season" condiment in Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays by Jennifer Katzinger, which I packed with flavourful coconut oil and flakes, as well as a sweet and hot medley of exotic spices (including Schezuan peppercorns), garlic and fresh ginger
My usual go to Christmas chutney is a rich, fruity fig and balsamic concoction. Brown sugar and ginger spiced pears, poached in cider and reduced to a warmingly festive Christmas chutney
I also have my eye on feijoas, walnuts, figs, more pears, and olives - all yet to ripen. Unlike other peaches, they are in my opinion better suited to stewing or poaching than eaten fresh, and they are also beautiful made into jams and chutneys
Fig, Apple and Balsamic Chutney sponsored by Marigold. Particularly the Free range Greek style yogurt, which is so thick and luscious you would be forgiven for thinking it was freshly whipped double cream
I still have green figs on the tree, so I'm hoping for more sun over the next week or so. They still aren't well known in New Zealand, which surprises me as they are so worthwhile to grow, providing the base for my favourite salsa and they also make delicious chutney in their own right
Autumn is such a bountiful season and of course one of the busiest - we've had loads of passion fruit this year, the persimmons and figs are colouring nicely, and the feijoa tree is threatening to unleash the usual truckloads of fruit in a few weeks
Apart from the mushrooms, which I've now made into base soup mixtures and frozen ready to stir in the flour and milk, there is so much produce to deal with - basil to be turned into pesto and frozen, tomatillos to make into salsa base and freeze, beat the birds to the figs and the persimmons, rescue the last of the passionfruit, and deal to truckloads of feijoas
slice autumn or winter fruits such as pears, feijoas or figs, or use homemade fruit chutneys to go with a nice Kapiti blue or aged cheddar (or both), enjoy
For an autumnal salad that packs plenty of nutritional punch, gently toss together baby spinach leaves with thinly sliced crisp apples, avocado, freshfigs, carrot and courgette sticks and lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
