Dried Figs with Sesame and Bay, Year's Supply
Sun-dried figs, stuffed with toasted sesame seeds and scented with bay leaves, pressed into reserves. The keeping sweetness that lasts through the Greek winter.
Sun-dried figs, stuffed with toasted sesame seeds and scented with bay leaves, pressed into reserves. The keeping sweetness that lasts through the Greek winter.
A far-sighted city does not fear winter. At the end of summer, we spread figs in the sun until they candy in their own honey; we stuff them with toasted sesame, lay them between bay leaves, and press them into jars. Thus the palace of Thebes never runs short. Remember this, you who listen to me: governing is above all about foresight.
- •Ripe figs — a full basket (base)
- •Sesame seeds — a good handful (filling)
- •Bay leaves — a few (herb and preservation)
- •Honey — a drizzle (optional) (binder)
Dried Figs with Sesame and Bay, Year's Supply
Sun-dried figs, stuffed with toasted sesame seeds and scented with bay leaves, pressed into reserves. The keeping sweetness that lasts through the Greek winter.
Why this dish? The fig, along with barley and olive, is one of the pillars of the Theban table evoked for Creon. Dried in the sun, it keeps all winter and feeds the palace between harvests. For a king obsessed with order and the city's foresight, these stored provisions speak of the good management of a state that must never lack.
A far-sighted city does not fear winter. At the end of summer, we spread figs in the sun until they candy in their own honey; we stuff them with toasted sesame, lay them between bay leaves, and press them into jars. Thus the palace of Thebes never runs short. Remember this, you who listen to me: governing is above all about foresight.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ripe figs — a full basket (base)
- Sesame seeds — a good handful (filling)
- Bay leaves — a few (herb and preservation)
- Honey — a drizzle (optional) (binder)
Ingredients
- Soft dried figs — 300 g (base)
- Sesame seeds — 50 g (filling)
- Bay leaves — 4 to 5 (herb and preservation)
- Honey — 1 tbsp (optional) (binder)
Method
- If using fresh figs, split them and dry them in the sun or in a very low oven (50°C) for several hours, until supple but dry.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden.
- Open each dried fig and insert a pinch of sesame inside (add a little honey for fresh figs).
- Close the figs and roll them in the remaining sesame.
- Layer them in a jar, alternating with bay leaves to scent and protect.
- Let rest a few days before tasting; keeps for several weeks in a dry place.
How it was made : Sun-drying was the great Greek preservation technique: figs, grapes, and olives thus lasted through winter. Dried figs were so prized that they were among the famous exports of Attica and Boeotia. Bay leaves served both as a seasoning and as protection against insects.
The contemporary twist : Present them as 'bite-sized' pieces on a slate board with a few nuts and a shaving of hard goat cheese: a sweet-bitter platter telling the story of the ancient pantry.
Creon · Charactorium