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Preserved Fig Quarters with Whiskey

Source of Recipe

From "Preserving by the Pint" by Marisa McClellan


Recipe Introduction

"Philadelphia is full of feral fig trees, some planted by long-gone Italian immigrants. If you know where to look and your timing is good, it is possible to fill a gallon bucket. I tend to restrain myself and pick just a pound or two from these community trees, to ensure that others can also have a share. Then I bring them home and make this preserve."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound figs
â—¦ 1 cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
â—¦ 2 tablespoons whiskey



Recipe

Prepare a boiling water bath and two half-pint jars. Place two lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer.

Trim away any woody stems from the figs and cut them into quarters. Place in a medium bowl and add the sugar. Stir to combine and let sit until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Scrape the fruit into a medium saucepan and add the lemon juice and whiskey. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the figs soften and a goodly amount of syrup has developed, 4 to 6 minutes.

When the figs are tender but not cooked to mush, they are finished. Remove the pan from the heat and funnel the figs and syrup into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes two (½ pint) jars