The Magic Fig Preserve - Made in a Slow Cooker

The other day, hubby was grocery shopping with his mother and she saw these figs and thought I would like them. So she bought them for me. When first they arrived I looked at them and wondered what I was to do. I know what to do with mission figs, but these green ones? It became a cascade of needing to know. Plus look, one was missing. Next day I was shopping and saw them and even though I did not know yet what to make, I got a dozen more in a flat like the one my mother in law gave me. Now I had a jam in the making. That is, once I found a safe recipe.

Well, guess what...it's not that easy since there are not that many recipes for this small amount of green ripe figs. Once again, I decided I better see how much it made and freeze the excess if there was any.

I love my slow cooker and I also love fruit - butter made in a slow cooker. It is almost August so you know I am getting excited for all the products that will lend itself to fruit butter, like peaches and apples and plums. So I cleaned the figs carefully. I cut the top and bottom off as well as any discolorations. I then cut a whole lemon rind and all ( no seeds ) and placed it all in the cooker. I added enough juice to make the bottom of the pot wet from another lemon and enough sugar to cover the whole thing. In total, I used 23 figs and two lemons and probably three cups of sugar. I added sugar as the day progressed and the liquid in the cooker evaporated. I set the slow cooker to high and let it go all day. In total, 9 hours. It made three 250 ml jars of ambrosia fig preserve, the color of deep amber. I am glad I did not puree it and left it chunky. I did not remove the lemon slices, they are part of the preserve now, and it works wonderfully.

I let this mixture cool, and I will freeze two of the jars and use up one but leave it in the refrigerator. I am phobic about food safety unless the recipe is from NCFHP or Bernardin or Ball.

I hope you like this version of fresh figs. The Food in Jars Challenge has really helped me explore. I think it turned out wonderfully. I can see the meals it can be part of right now but toast and morning coffee seems perfect.

~Hugs from Mum

#fijchallenge