Sweet Pickle of Figs
A historical recipe from La cuisine creole, by Lafcadio Hearn (1885).
A historical recipe
La cuisine creole: a collection of culinary recipes from leading chefs and noted Creole housewives, who have made New Orleans famous for its cuisine, by Lafcadio Hearn (1885). Project Gutenberg eBook #75027.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards. Its words name: home canning or sealing in jars, preserving or pickling, curing or salting meat, a substance or vessel no longer considered safe. Check current food-safety guidance before following this.
Also printed in: La cuisine creole (1885).
United States
Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
- Home canning. Old canning methods can let botulism through. Use current tested canning guidance.
- Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.
- Curing. Old curing amounts and salts may be unsafe. Use current tested guidance.
- Additives or old utensils. The text names something no longer considered safe in food or for cooking in, such as lead, alum, borax, bitter almonds or copper pans. Don't use it.
Ingredients 3 ingredients
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Method
Chef Wood
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- Put the figs in brine at night;
- in the morning, or after being in brine about twelve hours, take them out, wash off the salt, and put them in alum water for three hours.
- Then take them out and scald them in hot water until heated through.
- Make a syrup of a quart of vinegar, a pint of sugar with a tablespoonful of cinnamon, mace, and cloves each;
- boil half an hour, and pour on the figs boiling hot.
- Repeat the boiling next day, and bottle up and seal for future use.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan