Maple-Harissa Roasted Figs
Plus: Why aren't there more Jewish fig recipes? And a fresh fig primer
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Do you remember the first time you tasted a fresh fig? I was barely into my 20s and fell hard and fast for this new-to-me fruit. I had of course eaten jammy, wrinkle-skinned dried figs before, but the unbridled lushness and earthy sweetness of a fresh fig knocked me off my feet. I remember buying baskets of purple-blue figs at my Brooklyn food coop and feeling like some kind of empress to have such luxury at my fingertips.
And I definitely remember the time a friend told me that her Brooklyn neighbor had a giant old fig tree IN HER BACKYARD. The neighbor used fresh fig leaves to make tea, but was (somehow, inexplicably) not fond of the fruit itself. For two years running, until my friend moved away, she welcomed us into her backyard to pick as many oozy-ripe, honey-sweet figs as we could hold. To this day I am baffled by that good fortune.
Where Are All The Jewish Fig Recipes?
Figs, which are native to the Eastern Mediterranean, are one of the seven species mentioned in the Torah (along with wheat, barley, grapes, pomegranates, olives, and dates). They grew wild in ancient Israel and were widely cultivated during biblical times. They are frequently referenced in Jewish literature—including in the story of Adam and Eve. (Many biblical commentators posit that it was a plump, tempting fig—and not an apple—that the first couple ate from the Tree of Knowledge.)
But despite their centrality to Jewish tradition, there is a disproportionate lack of fresh fig recipes in Jewish cuisine. The only recipe I can think of across global Jewish cuisine that employs fresh figs (as opposed to dried) is fichi caramellati—the caramelized figs beloved by Italian Jews. Are there other obvious examples that I’m missing? (If so, please let me know in the comments!)
I found the dearth of Jewish fig recipes confusing until I remembered that 1. Fresh figs have super delicate, bruise-prone skin and do not store well. 2. Fresh figs are extraordinarily delicious eaten out of hand. I don’t know about you, but whenever I buy a basket of figs, I end up greedily eating half of them on the way home from the market, leaving very few to actually cook with. I have a feeling our Jewish ancestors had similar struggles with self restraint.
I like to think that figs’ brief shelf life and unparalleled deliciousness serve as a reminder to not wait to experience joy. Sometimes you just have to seize life by the fresh fig, you know?
That said, if you do manage to make it home with enough figs to cook with, this recipe for Maple-Harissa Roasted Figs is pretty special. The mix of maple syrup, spicy/complex harissa paste, and bright lemon zest brings out the figs’ natural sweetness. And the blitz in a hot oven renders their jammy cache of flesh and seeds even more luscious.
Roasted figs are delicious on a cheese plate, spooned over Greek yogurt or ricotta, or sharing the table with baked or grilled chicken or meat. And I could absolutely imagine serving them as a side dish on Rosh Hashanah—why not add a little symbolic spice to the New Year, along with sweetness?
A few weeks ago, I noticed with great excitement that our Brooklyn synagogue’s front yard is home to a large, and seemingly productive, fig tree. I asked the building’s caretaker about it—he hails from Albania (a country rich with fig production) and has a green thumb, so I figured he might know what’s what. He told me that last summer the tree produced a bumper crop of figs and that he was able to bring many home, even after the birds had their fill. He told me to stop by anytime around or shortly after Labor Day when the figs should be at peak ripeness and take as many as I’d like. Good fig fortune strikes again! You better believe I will.
Fresh Fig Primer
There are more than 800 fig varieties in the world, but only a handful of them make their way to farmer’s markets in America. (And even fewer to grocery stores.) Here are some of the most common fresh figs you might run into.
Also, a note on buying fresh figs: According to Gil Marks’ Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, there are several ways to judge a figs’ ripeness": “When they smell mildly sweet, soften slightly when they are touched, and start to bend at the neck.” Overly mature figs,” he writes, “tend to exhibit cracks in the skin…ironically, perfect-looking fruits tend to lack flavor.”
Black Mission
Among the most commonly available fresh figs, black mission figs are large, plump, and tear-drop shaped. Their skin is dark purple-blue and their flesh ranges from pink to deep red. Flavor: jammy and berry-forward.
Calimyrna
These figs (an American version of the Turkish Smyrna) are often sold dried because they are so delicate and bruiseable—so finding them fresh is a treat. Their skin is smooth and light yellow-green, and their flesh is blush pink with hints of gold. Flavor: delicately sweet and slightly nutty.
Brown Turkey
Their skin is a bronze-brown with hints of purple, and their flesh is pale pink. Flavor: mild and less sweet than other varieties. They are not my favorite fig variety to eat out of hand, but work well in salads and other recipes.
Sierra
These figs—a newer variety first cultivated in the early 2000s—are chubby and round, slightly resembling Seckel pears when whole. Their skin is light lime green and their flesh is pale pinky amber. Flavor: fresh with mild honey sweetness.
Adriatic
One of the more visually striking figs, this variety has wide base and tapered top and a pale green coloring with lighter and darker stripes. (They are sometimes called candy-striped figs). Inside, their flesh is a beautiful wine-red. Flavor: floral, honey sweetness.
Maple-Harissa Roasted Figs
I used Sierra figs for this dish because that is what my local grocery store had on offer. You can substitute any fresh fig variety you prefer as long as they are ripe and soft. Cooking times may vary slightly with different varieties, so keep an eye on them and pull them from the oven when they are syrupy and soft but not collapsing into mush. Serve the figs as an accompaniment to cheese and crackers, as a topping for creamy ricotta or Greek yogurt, or as a sweet-savory side for roasted chicken or grilled meats.
Serves 4 to 6 (recipe can be doubled)
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