LAMORINDA WEEKLY | A fabulous fig condiment complement for baked brie or barbecue


Fig-Shallot Jam Photo Susie Iventosch

My son Joel called me one day all excited about the stuffed mushrooms he had made with fig chutney, shallots and Parmesan cheese, among other items of interest like blue cheese, barbecue seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. I'm always delighted to hear what my kids have been up to in the kitchen, but what intrigued me most was the inclusion of fig chutney in stuffed mushrooms. Besides, I'd been wanting to make fig jam as soon as figs were in season, so he sent me the list of ingredients in the fig chutney he'd purchased, which included raisins, red onion, candied ginger and red chile peppers. I decided to combine the shallots and figs into a simpler jam, and thought it would be great with brie and toasted walnuts on crackers or even as a condiment for grilled meats. This fig jam could not be easier to make, and it was perfect with a venison steak my husband put on the grill. Actually, I think it would be delicious with any grilled meat from lamb to turkey ... perhaps as an alternative to cranberry sauce for this year's Thanksgiving feast. This is not a weak endorsement, because I absolutely love cranberry sauce!

Fig-Shallot Jam

(Makes approximately one cup)

INGREDIENTS

1 pound figs, stems removed and cut into small pieces, 1/2-inch or so

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients into a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and boil just long enough to melt the sugar, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes to one hour, or until the mixture is thick and sticky. It should coat a spoon easily. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Mixture will thicken as it cools. Spoon into clean glass jars, or plastic jars with tight-fitting lids. If you plan to make a large batch and want to can this jam, follow your favorite canning process. I am not an expert at canning, however this jam will hold up well in the refrigerator for several months.