Slow-Roasted Fig Preserves with Lemon
- 1 small lemon, quartered and thinly sliced, seeds removed
- 3 pounds ripe figs, stemmed and rinsed, left whole if small, halved if larger
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Scatter the lemon slices over the bottom of a large roasting pan, then spread the figs in the pan. Sprinkle with the sugar and pour in 1 cup water.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for 2 hours, then uncover the pan, increase the oven temperature to 400°F, and roast for about 1 1⁄2 hours more, until the figs are dark, the lemon slices are translucent, and the juices are bubbling and have reduced to a dark, somewhat thick syrup.
- Prepare for water-bath canning: Sterilize the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl.
- Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids.
- Spoon the hot figs and lemon slices into the jars, leaving 1⁄4 inch headspace at the top, and pour the syrup from the roasting pan over them, leaving 1⁄4 inch headspace. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it’s just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.
- Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each; if it can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.
This hip, modern handbook is filled with fresh and new ways to preserve nature’s bounty throughout the year.
Organized by season and illustrated with beautiful photographs, it offers detailed instructions and recipes for making more than 150 canned, pickled, dried, and frozen foods, as well as 50 inventive recipes for dishes using these foods.
Basic information on canning techniques and lively sidebars round out this refreshing take on a classic cooking tradition.
Liana Krissoff
Liana Krissoff, a freelance recipe tester, editor, and writer, is the author of STC’s Secrets of Slow Cooking and Hot Drinks for Cold Nights. Krissoff lives with her husband and daughter in rural Carlton, Georgia. To learn more, visit her blog, Pie and Beer.
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