Grilled figs with lemon and pomegranate
A perfect late summer and autumn pudding, when figs are plentiful, (we grow ‘Brown Turkey’ here and even from a 3-year-old tree we can hardly keep up with the harvest). Serve with a dollop of yoghurt or better still, with stemginger or vanilla ice cream or frozen yoghurt.
Serves 6
• 8-12 ripe figs, cut in half
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (up this
to 4 if you cook 12 figs)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons clear honey
• 4 sprigs of thyme, 2 whole, 2 leaves picked
• 1 orange, strips of rind shaved from one half, the rind finely zested from the other half
Place the figs, pomegranate molasses, lemon uice, 1 tablespoon of the honey, thyme, orange rind strips, and zest, and 1 tablespoon water into a bowl. Mix. Add the figs and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill. Remove the figs from the bowl (keep the marinade) and arrange them, cut side up, snugly in a baking dish or pan.
Drizzle with the remaining honey and place under the hot grill, not too high up, for 10 minutes, so that the sugars caramelise and the figs soften.
Pour the marinade into a small pan, bring to the boil. Continue to boil to reduce by half until it has the consistency of runny honey.
Pour this sauce over the figs and serve.
