Monday, November 7, 2011

Recipe: Fig & Hazelnut Jam



One of my favorite breakfasts during the fall and winter months is this hearty whole wheat seed bread from Whole Foods--toasted--with a little bit a butter and a lot of this Fig & Hazelnut jam that I make...

The jam is super easy and actually the recipe is adapted from a Giada recipe (from Giada's 
Kitchen), its for an appetizer--Pecorino Romano with Apple and Fig Jam--I hijacked the jam recipe and never looked back...its really good!! The other reason I like it is because the hazelnuts give the jam a little protein and in a weird way...its kind of like a fancy version of PB&J...but much, much better!


Fig & Hazelnut Spread
6-8 dried figs, haved
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water 
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts--without skins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
pinch salt

Combine the figs, cinnamon, orange zest,  salt, sugar, water & brandy in a small saucepan.  Bring mixture to a simmer over  medium heat, then turn off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to plump the figs and cool slightly.  Toast hazelnuts over medium heat in a dry skillet until fragrant and lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer fig mixture to food processor pulsing a few times.  Add hazelnuts and pulse until pureed but still slightly chunky. Store in fridge in air-tight jar.










Its got a very homey, earthy taste-sweet but not too sweet and the brandy, orange and cinnamon give it a nice depth of flavor.  And as far as I am concerned, hazelnuts are totally under-appreciated in the US--I would like them to take over kitchens every where and this is my one small step towards that vision...




I hope, if you are looking for a new breakfast idea, you might try this one--the jam couldn't be simpler to make; its keeps for a couple weeks in the fridge and its a nice change of pace from a bowl of cereal!!


3 comments:

  1. First of all - your blog is amazing!! And I am thoroughly blown away by your haunted house . . . can I be you when I grow up? I miss you my dear friend and love being able to check in on your "making" adventures.

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  2. HELEN!!
    Ohmygoodness!! It was so great to hear from you!! How are you?? Thanks for the kind words about the blog and so glad you check in...am going to write you longer email now...

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  3. Ack! Can't find your email address...will look for it when I get home...and will write you later!!

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