fig x3

January is not normally thought of as fig season, but I had about a dozen perfect specimens left over from a catering job. While I was packing up the car, I realised that I had not eaten and my stomach was beginning to protest. I put the leftover figs and some cheese within arms reach for the long drive home. I munched happily, marveling at how perfectly ripe the figs were, and began composing this dish in my head. The thing about serving different preparations of the same item on one plate is that they should each be unique in flavor, texture, and presentation in order to create excitement, yet there should exist some thread of continuity between them–they should relate to one another–otherwise, you will only create confusion and disparity. With this "rule" in mind, I decided on flavors and presentation and made mental lists, but when I went to reach for another fig, there were no more…I had eaten every one. I knew that I could not wait until next fall to execute this dish, so I decided to side track my route home to the store where I had purchased them with hopes that there would be more. I was lucky, there was one box left for me.

Tangy, herbal

fresh fig, trimmed to expose soft interior, marinated in A L’Olivier Figue (great product), set on a bed of selvatica arugula, dressed with figue and marjoram oil vinaigrette.

Salty, sweet, herbal

fresh fig, lightly poached with hibiscus and elderflower, split and filled with compressed ball of minced serrano ham, toasted hickory nuts and fresh marjoram, dressed with marjoram oil and sprigs.

Sweet, tangy

sliced fig dome filled with dolce gorgonzola and caramelized mascarpone set on base of hibiscus soaked olive oil genoise, served with dehydrated rambutan