DIY: Organic Drunken Fig Jam
We love Your Daily Thread! If you’re in Los Angeles, their daily email keeps you up to date on local eco happenings. Out of range? Check out their new series of DIY “how to” videos, hosted by co-founders Tracy Hepler and Lauren Johanson. This one guest-stars Lauren’s mom Donna and her ridiculously delicious recipe for Organic Drunken Fig Jam. Here’s a cheat sheet:
Ingredients:
* 2 lemons
* 4 pounds ripe fresh figs (preferably black), stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 9 cups)
* 4 cups sugar
* 3/4 cup brandy or Cognac
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation:
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons (yellow part only) in long strips. Cut peel into matchstick-size strips (about 3 tablespoons).
Combine lemon peel, figs, sugar, brandy, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in heavy large deep saucepan; let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Bring fig mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture with potato masher to crush large fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat.
Ladle mixture into 6 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes. Cool jars completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.
Yield:
Makes about six 1/2-pint jars
Serve with crackers and organic goat cheese—Lauren and Donna’s farm is famous for it, as well as their full line of amazing skin softening goat-milk Chivas Skincare products. Yum!
