Saturday, September 02, 2006

fresh figs 2 ways

walnut fig cobbler
morrocan spiced "Meatballs" with figs

4 comments:

bazu said...

those sound yummy! i'm not a big fan of dried figs, but i *love* fresh ones. how do you make the 'meat'balls?

islandgirlshell said...

hi, bazu,

i really enjoyed these (even though i detest ketchup) my husband described them as funky...and proceeded to eat a whole bunch. i started with a recipe from valley fig growers...here's the final recipe:

2 cups tvp flakes
2 teaspoons marmite dissolved in 2 cups boiling water
8 oz. fresh figs, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 large piece of whole grain bread, crumbled
2 teaspoons each minced garlic, ground coriander and ground cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup wheat gluten (gluten flour)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup each red wine and water
1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and cayenne

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl combine tvp flakes and marmite broth. After about 10 minutes, and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the tvp, add figs, onion, bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon each of garlic, coriander, cumin, and salt. Mix well to blend. When mixture has slightly cooled, sprinkle gluten over the mixture and quickly stir to incorporate. Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place in single layer on greased baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping balls over once (the original recipe said 10-12 minutes but that was not at all enough time for this vegan version. I kept resetting the timer for 5 minutes and lost track of time :) Just bake until they are browned and fairly firm to the touch)

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine ketchup, remaining 1 teaspoon each of garlic, coriander, and cumin; add wine, water, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cook over low heat until heated through, about 4-5 minutes. Place finished meatballs in a large serving bowl and pour sauce over them, stirring gently to coat. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

bazu said...

That is a really unique recipe. I'm going to try to make it quickly, before fresh figs are gone from the markets-thanks!

Anonymous said...

Islandgirlshell,
I just wanted to tell you that I made these meatballs with a few modifications, and I *loved* them! Your recipe and technique is definitely a keeper, so thank you! You can see a photo on my blog.