Roasted Figs with Fennel Ice Cream

Figs have arrived at the marketplace and they are a very welcome sight. Summer fruit season is now in full swing. To your stations!

Figs have a double life. For this first round, I’m bathing figs in a dab of port, brown sugar and lemon peel and roasting them for about 20 minutes. This brings out their lusciousness and coats them with a delicious syrup. I then pair the figs with some luxurious Fennel Ice Cream, which gives the dish another very nice and simple creamy layer of nature. Fennel seeds are highly aromatic and often found in the cuisine of the Mediterranean, India and Pakistan. We see them here in products such as breads, sausages and Chinese Five Spice Powder. I think the flavor of fennel marries well with this fig preparation.

I hope you're able to welcome figs now or sometime very soon wherever you are. They are so wonderful whether you eat them as they are or work them into your dessert or savory summer menus. Cheers!


Bench notes:
- The Roasted Figs are loosely based on a recipe from David Lebovitz that I adapted to suit the Fennel Ice Cream. His recipe also contains honey, sprigs of thyme and he uses red wine or liqueur as a base. It’s wonderful. It would be fun to try with balsamic vinegar as well.
- Use a regular peeler to get the lemon strips without any of the white pith.
- These figs are also really delicious with Lemon Verbena Ice Cream. And probably Pine Nut Rosemary Ice Cream! Or if you’re a fan of chocolate, Chocolate Spice Praliné Ice Cream.
- A couple more of my favorite fig treats are A Provençal Sundae and Chocolate Spice Cake with Figs.


Roasted Figs with Fennel Ice Cream

Fennel Ice Cream
Makes about 1 quart

1 2/3 C heavy cream
1 1/3 C milk
2 1/2 t fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 C sugar
pinch of salt
4 egg yolks

Roasted Figs
loosely based on a recipe from David Lebovitz

12 fresh ripe figs
2 T Port
2 T dark or light brown sugar
3 1” strips of fresh lemon peel, yellow part only

For the ice cream, bring cream, milk, fennel seeds, sugar and a pinch of salt to a low simmer. Take off the heat, cover and let steep about 30 minutes.

Strain out the fennel seeds and reheat the cream mixture just until warm. Whisk yolks together in a bowl. Add milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook on medium low, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of spoon and a track remains when you run your finger through it. Do not let the mixture boil. Immediately strain the custard into a clean container and let cool completely. Cover and place in your refrigerator to chill thoroughly for a few hours or overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream machine according to directions. Pour into a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

To roast the figs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the figs in half and place them in a bowl. Add the port, brown sugar and lemon peel and toss to mix and coat the fruit. Place the figs cut side down in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven and gently lift the foil away from you to avoid a steam burn. Cool the figs and serve.