It’s summer, and to us, that means one thing: figs are back in season! These beauties are native to the Middle East and Mediterranean, and in fact are one of the world’s oldest fruits. If you’re not acquainted, ripe figs have very soft, sweet flesh and small crunchy (entirely edible) seeds. They’re a great source of soluble fibre, and as you can imagine, are rich sources of antioxidants, soluble fibre and a stack of vitamins and minerals. It’s worth making a nutritional note that 100g (two medium figs) contains 3g fibre – so along with all those antioxidants, figs pack quite a punch in the gut health stakes. Fresh figs are pretty delicate, and best consumed within a few days of purchase. Here’s a few of our favourite ideas on how to make the most of them:
- Roast fresh figs with a drizzle of honey, a decadent treat with creamy Greek yoghurt
- Slice them up and cook them in your breakfast oats, for a lovely jammy sweetness
- If you’re lucky enough to have access to plenty, make yourself a batch of fig jam, to be served with a cheese platter, on toast, or swirled through muffin or cake mixes
- Poach slightly under-ripe figs in spiced syrup and serve as a hot or cold fruit compote
- Figs are just beautiful grilled and added to salads with fresh cheeses (eg. ricotta, bocconcini) and prosciutto
