Fruits of the Season - Figs

Figs are in season and the stores and weekly markets are full of them. If your only experience with figs is in Newton form, I recommend trying a fresh one. I personally like them better dried (and yes I do love Fig Newtons as well), but they are really beautiful, inside and out.

A fig isn’t an actual fruit; it is a hollow, bud-like object filled with immature flowers and mature seeds. Figs are associated with several deities, including Dionysius and Juno. The fig was sacred not only to the Greeks, but also to the Egyptians. Some Biblical scholars believe that Eve tempted Adam with a fig, not an apple, and that fig leaves were used as the first body coverings.

From Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen:
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Energies: Strength, money, sex

The following recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma website and it sounds soooooo good. I am desperate to try it. The only problem is thyme. (We could say I can’t find the thyme, but that would be too corny of a joke, even for me. Hee.) I may have to try it without the herbs and see how it turns out. I can get wonderful, fragrant fresh dill, mint and parsley, but rosemary and thyme are very difficult to find. Oregano is almost always dried. I happen to have a Greek bush basil, however, and plan to make the most of it!

Fig Tart with Goat Cheese and Thyme

(Note: This recipe calls for a fire-ruled ingredient and a water-ruled ingredient, which is the thyme. If you do not wish to combine these two elements into one recipe, I recommend using rosemary. It is a fire-ruled herb and is used as an all-purpose substitution).



Ingredients:
For the pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbs. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into
1-inch pieces

1 to 2 Tbs. ice water



For the filling:

10 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 tsp. fresh thyme

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 large black Mission figs, quartered lengthwise


Aged balsamic vinegar for serving

Honey for serving


Directions:
To make the pastry, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the flour and salt and beat on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the butter and continue beating until pea-size crumbs form, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the water 1/2 Tbs. at a time and continue beating, adding more water as needed, until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press together to form a 5-inch disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness to fit a 9-inch square tart pan. Press the dough into the pan and trim the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang around the rim. Fold in the excess dough and press it into the sides so they are thicker than the bottom. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the shell is set, about 20 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and continue baking until the shell is golden, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the goat cheese, eggs, thyme, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Spread the cheese mixture in the tart shell. Arrange the figs on top, covering as much of the cheese as possible.

Bake until the tart is golden around the edges and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and honey. Serves 9.

Source: Williams-Sonoma Kitchen, www.williams-sonoma.com

Are you drooling yet? I am!

Seasonal Eating

One of the ways in which we can better attune ourselves to the cycles of nature is by buying and eating seasonal produce. Not only is it cheaper to buy fruits and vegetables when they are in season, but the produce is also much more flavorful. Since different states and countries have different growing seasons (especially when you think about the Northern and Southern hemispheres), it isn't a bad idea to hop on the internet and search for what is in season in your particular area.

www.nrdc.org allows you to search by state and season.

If you are outside of the US as I am, you can still find information on the internet. No matter where yo uare, one of the best ways to see what is in season is to visit a farmer's market.

For many of us, spring means asparagus and spinach. It also means broccoli, cauliflower, arugula (rocket/roka), peas, spring onions, new potatoes, rhubarb, apricots, strawberries, and cherries. I've been seeing watermelons in Istanbul for weeks. I don't know where they're coming from, but they're already ripe and delicious. What a treat!

Seasonal eating and cooking is good for our bodies and our souls because it helps us tap into the wheel of the year. It is important for us to become aware of our surroundings and see the bounty that the goddess bestows upon us throughout the year, every year.

The goddess provides wonderful things for us. We just need to be able to recognize it. I recommend picking up a good book on wild foods and learning to recognize some of the edible plants that might be growing in your very back yard. However, I do not recommend foraging for wild mushrooms. It is much too risky, and one mistake may be all it takes. Also, if you do wish to forage for wild food such as dandelions and purslane, don't pick anything that is growing close to the road or anything that has been sprayed with pesticide. Wash everything very well.

Talking about the abundance of foods that are provided for us also reminds me of the people on this planet who do not have enough food. It is important that we keep these people in our prayers, and it is also imperative that we help them when we can. If you are able to do so, please make a contribution to your local food bank. And yes, I mean even if it isn't a secular organization! You know who you are... There are also sites on the internet that provide donations of food to the less fortunate. Visit them, and contribute when you can.

Until next time, afiyet olsun.