Fig and Ginger Jam

Home Made Fig and Ginger Jam

Figs are my most favourite Fruit

This year our fig trees have fruited prolifically.  There are so many figs and we have been picking them for more than three months.   I have eaten them, dried them, grilled them, jammed and cooked them, but I needed something new to do.  I considered a fig chutney, much like a mango chutney as an accompaniment to hot spicy curries.

I stumbled across this great post on kitchenlaw and had to give it a go.

My version of Ginger and Fig Jam (Chutney)

1.1kg fresh figs
750g white sugar
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cut off the stalks and wash the figs.  Chop them into 1cm cubes and place in a large non-reactive saucepan.
Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil them simmer until thick approx 45 mins.
Test if done by placing a saucer in the freezer and put a teaspoon of jam on it to see if the jam has 'set'.
Ladle the jam into the sterilised jars, screwing their lids securely.

Sterilise your jars by placing them in a cool oven, turn to 150 celsius then let cool.
Place the lids in boiling water for 10 minutes.

I will be serving this as an accompaniment to hot curries 

which is why I didn't increase the amount of vanilla extract 

or cinnamon which give this jam a truly unique flavour.

Buon appetitio, enjoy Merryn

Home Made Dried Figs

Dried Figs

Saving Summers' Fig Harvest for use all year long.

This morning, I walked around the garden as I always do on a sunny morning before leaving for work.

I felt compelled to walk to the most northern point of our backyard

when

I heard a little splash and saw a brown striped frog frolicking in a plastic crate that was half full of water. 

I wasn't sure if the frog could climb out or not, as when tadpoles turn into frogs they have to 

be able to climb ashore or they will drown.  Taking a wooden garden stake I propped it 

into one corner of the crate so the little frog could climb up on it to escape to firm ground. 

It is a good feeling knowing you have helped a smaller and vulnerable species survive today.

Talking about survival, I love figs and wish they would stay on the tree for the whole year.

As they do not, I decided to preserve some by dehydrating them.

I finally have the drying procedure worked out perfectly.




Firstly you cut off the small end stem.
Slice the figs in half horizontally or if they are
extra large, slice them into 1/3's or even 1/4's.

Make up a solution of 1 tablespoon Ascorbic acid to every 1 litre of water.
Ascorbic acid is basically Vitamin C so get some chewable Vitamin C tablets and crush up 4 tablets.
Stir this solution, just use cold water, don't heat it.
Soak the fig slices in this solution for 10 - 15 minutes as soon as they are cut.
Then, drain them in a colander for 10 minutes to remove any excess liquid.
(Note, the ascorbic acid solution keeps the bright fig's natural colour when they are dried)



Place them on the drying racks, making sure they do not touch each other.

  Place the lid on, lock into position and turn to the highest speed.

These figs will take between 20 - 24 hours to totally dry.

 Take the lid off and turn after approx 10 hours.

Look at these gorgeous figs.

Their sweet aroma fills the house.

These were touch dry after 20 hours.

Let them cool, then vacuum seal for long storage.

Figs preserved this way will keep 

In the Pantry   3 - 12 months

In the Fridge        1 - 2 years

In the Freezer       Indefinitely

To use, you can re hydrate them in water or juice overnight, ensure there is enough liquid to cover the figs.

Or you can simmer them in water or juice.

For biscuits and desserts, chop the dried figs as they are before adding them to the recipe.

Dried figs can also be eaten and enjoyed straight from the packet.

Buon appetitio, enjoy, Merryn 

In Marches Autumn

Autumn in my Garden

March brings so much variety with many fruits almost ripe, a total gardener's delight!

Last year I had one Pitaya, this year there are 19, although 2 are on my neighbour's side of the fence.

Both of my arms were badly scratched retrieving the prickly branches to bring 17 back on my side.

Pitaya (Dragon fruit)

The first quinces have been picked. This tree was planted twelve months ago, it is clever to grow 5 fruit.

There are 20 olives brining in this jar, 20 this year, a whole bucketful next year~!

We have an abundance of figs.  Black Genoa, Brown Turkey, White Adriatic and a Yellow seedless variety (Please inform me if you know it's name.)
Fresh figs, grilled figs, fig jam, dried figs did I mention fresh figs?  Their flavour is sublime.

Soem need more protection from birds than other varieties.

A selection of chillies, from mild through to cayenne and jalapeno hot.

Plus our first lime of the season.

We have two bunches of bananas growing, which will ripen in different months.  Both suckers came from the same tree but one was moved to a different part of the yard where a crop of bananas will ensue.

Eggplant (aubergine) black, glossy and healthy.

This Tuscan Kale plant was riddled with caterpillars, so I pruned it right back

and now it has re-shot, producing fresh, young kale leaves.

Corn, behind a chicken proof fence, soon to produce luscious corn cobs.

Since being planted in the ground this bay tree is bursting with life.

Green papaya, I love to make green papaw salad with these lovely specimens.

Tamarillos (Bush Tomatoes), proudly clumped together.
These will turn a bright, dark red when ripe.

Ever present chicory, pick all the leaves and it will re-shoot to produce another plant.

We are still picking tomatoes, so much nicer than any store bought variety.

A Rockmelon vine with flowers trailing along the ground.

One of the free ranging chickens eating everything in it's path.

I hope you have enjoyed strolling around my Autumn garden, 

please take the time to enjoy the other Garden Share Collective members gardens.

Buon appetitio, Merryn.

Forster Foliage in February

We are officially in the middle of summer! 

Strolling around the garden there are so many delights to enjoy!

Here are mangoes, bursting with colour and vibrancy.

The biggest avocado tree is loaded with Secondo avocadoes, a semi dwarf variety

which is flourishing in our mid north coast climate.

Note the varieties of lettuce, protected behind a chicken proof fence

(I always think of rabbit proof fence when I walk past this garden bed).

Below is an example of what ten free ranging chickens can do to your garden.

This was a healthy patch of sorrel at Christmas time, before the chickens arrived!

The dwarf Pinkabelle and Granny Smith trees are a delight.

I plan to harvest them before the flying foxes do

(wish me luck).

 Figs Figs Figs!  Black Genoa, Brown Turkey and White Adriatic.
So sweet and succulent.
We check each morning and night to ensure we get them before the birds, blue tongue lizards or rats eat them.

A baby watermelon, proudly nestled on the ground, growing every single day.

The capsicums have been abundant, even looking slightly weathered as these ones do, 

they are still sweet and luscious when cooked or finely sliced for a salad.

I am so proud to show this Banana Passionfruit.

This is the first time I have ever grown a passionfruit plant successfully.

Previously they were planted too far from the house for frequent watering.

However I have found they are incredibly hard to spot on the vine.

The flowers were prolific, but I don't know where all of the passionfruit went -
did birds eat them or did they prematurely drop off?
 I don't know and would welcome advice as to how to harvest these passionfruits.

The next crop of bananas, biding their time to ripen to a golden yellow delight.

Tamarillos, or tree tomatoes as they are known.

I don't know what to do with them, apart from turning them into a chutney.

Any ideas are welcome.

I picked the first Pomegranate yesterday.

These are truly beautiful fruits.

I had to share this, these are beautiful chicory flowers, a traditional Italian vegetable,

the flowers are gorgeous and I love the idea of blue nectar in the bee hives. 

More rockmelons, we have been eating them for three months now, these vines are great~!

There are two (yes, 2) pears on the Williams Pear Tree.

I check them daily, as does a gorgeous Rosella, hopefully I will win

and taste the sweetness of the pears before the Rosella does ...

Three years in the ground and this dwarf Ruby Red Grapefruit has hit the jackpot.

It was well worth netting for protection.

You can see the colour is slowly changing.

Hopefully we will eat them in early Autumn.

This quince tree is only one year old and there are five gorgeous quinces growing firmly.
I can't wait to cook them.

My healthy bunch of lemongrass had to be moved as it was pushing out

the garden bed's wooden supports.

I literally dug a hole in the ground, in the middle of the lawn and planted some here.

12 months on and look at it flourishing, sometimes neglect is a good thing.

Tahitian Limes.  This Lime tree was a house warming present from my brother and three years on,

we will be picking many limes in the next few months.

This yellow aubergine (Eggplant) is fruiting continuously.

We have picked kilos of grapes, sweet and almost seedless, these are succulent.

Here you can see seedlings shortly to be planted out, gardening is a continual process.

These are the highlights of my February garden.
I hope you have enjoyed strolling with me around the Garden Share Collective this month.
Kind regards and buon appetito, Merryn