A Muslim’s Christmas: Roasted Figs & Cardamom
Saturday, 19th December 2009. There are 50 Comments.
Before I leave for the holidays, I would like to post something about Christmas. This is my last post for the year. Wishing Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and yours. See you in 2010.
Christmas is almost here. Having spent Christmas season all over the world, there are memories from some places which remain a favourite. A particular one is from my uni days in the UK, during end of term, when we would mount our bikes, cycle down to the local Café Rouge for what we thought at the time to be a posh evening out celebrating Christmas, to sip mulled wine served alongside mince pies. The one-pop-and-they’re-gone-pies with a little star cut out of the short-crust pastry, cushioned by the mincemeat of apples, currants, almonds, orange peel, cinnamon and other dark, intense whole spices. My favourite scent being that of ginger. The mincemeat, thick, spicy-fragrant and jammy.
We drank the warm, inky wine contently, even if Café Rouge’s brand was lacking in that perfect balance between sweet and tart and showed no evidence of the addition of whole spices.
This time, no cold milk with our mince pie. We were grown-ups now.
Fingers greasy from the mince pies, lips and teeth stained a dark plum from the mulled wine, we stayed at Café Rouge till they shut down. Mounting our bikes again, happy and a bit dizzy, we knew we would be saying good-bye tomorrow, getting on the train to leave for London, and onwards to our respective homes. Athens, Nicosia, Beirut, Karachi and Dhaka. The sight of any Café Rouge to this day makes me weep.
Just a little. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Upon reaching London, my Aunt would drive me around the West End, to get a glimpse of the lights, especially the ones draped over Regent Street.
Liberty would be all lit up in bright hues. A stunning window display; I so do wish I could envision the exact image in my mind. I suppose the obscure memory of it being beautiful will do. On the way back home, I would get some take-away. My Aunt would park outside Maroush, my favourite place in London for a shish taouk pita sandwich, a few blocks away from home in Sussex Gardens. The man behind the bar would slip in a maamoul for me, a date-filled biscuit from the Levant. She would sip her port when we would get home, while I would have my shish taouk sandwich with an Apple Tango.
The next morning at the WHSmith at Heathrow, I would fill my carry-on with Smarties tubes for my two younger sisters, Polo mints for Baba, and Dairy Milk Whole Nut for Ami. As the plane would take off for Dhaka, Bangladesh, where my father was posted, I realised gleefully that I would be seeing my family very soon. Isn’t that what Christmas is about? Family and friends? Despite being a Muslim, I was a part of it, somehow. The UK and London in particular, just makes you feel that way about Christmas.
“Warm and fuzzy” as my friend in uni used to say. (Except he used this term to refer to those “non-serious subjects other than Economics”. Disclaimer: Us fellow Economists, even though his friends, never agreed with him.)
I prepared this recipe bearing Christmas in mind; all those spices I was introduced to in mulled wine and mince pies inspired me to create a cardamom spiced wine-reduction which is drizzled atop roasted figs. In my humble opinion, figs should be prepared in a manner which doesn’t mask their shape and fresh tenderness. I adore the fleshy sweetness of the figs swimming in a pool of milky, creamy whiteness, lacquered with the cardamom-spiced red wine reduction.
I also like to have them solely in their opaque burgundy-tinted juice, sprinkled with neon-green pistachios for textural contrast.
I would skip the main course; go straight for dessert.
For this recipe I used a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riparosso Illimuninati 2007.
For the recipe for mince pie, please do visit Ginger Gourmand’s beautiful blog.
Photo credit mince pies: Channel 4 site
Photo credit mulled wine: Big Bouquet
Photo credit Regent Street: Wikipedia
Serves 4
Ingredients:
* 16 figs
* 2 cups dry red wine
* 4 + 8 cardamom pods
* 1/4 cup sugar
* vanilla ice cream
* handful of slivered pistachios (unsalted)Preparation:
Roasted Figs:
*Pre-heat oven to 425 F.
*Make a 1/2 inch cross at the tip of each fig, place in the oven on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes. By the time they are ready, you will see some juices bubbling at the base of the figs.Cardamom Red-Wine Reduction:
*Remove the seeds from 4 cardamom pods and with a mortar and pestle, crush to a powder. Set aside.
*Prepare the red wine reduction. In a small saucepan, add the wine, 8 pods of cardamom (make sure the tips of the pods are slightly open) and sugar. Set on medium heat and reduce (approximately 10 minutes) till thick and syrupy.
*Remove the cardamom pods. If the escaped seeds bother you, you could sieve the reduction. I just left them in.Assemble:
*Place 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream in a bowl, arrange 4 figs atop the ice cream, drizzle with the red-wine reduction and sprinkle with slivered pistachios and cardamom powder.
December 20th, 2009 at 18:07
Love poached…love cardamom….love, love, love. Can you believe I’ve never cooked with figs….Love the ‘net’ of lights. Have a blessed and great Christmas
December 20th, 2009 at 18:42
Happy Holidays Shayms! Thanks for leaving this lush recipe as a sweet memory for all of us as we bid farewell to 2009.. hoping 2010 brings joy and blessings to all!
Have a great time and as always reading your recipes leave me ‘warm and fuzzy’!
December 20th, 2009 at 19:00
Delightful! Marry me!
Mwah. Happy Holidays darling.
December 20th, 2009 at 21:08
Mmm I definately making that, I love figs. You pic of london made me very homesick. Happy holidays
December 20th, 2009 at 21:12
Dear Shayma, love, love the recipe, looks absolutely mouthwatering! Have a wonderful vacation and best wishes for the coming New Year. Happy Holidays!xo
December 21st, 2009 at 03:05
This sounds yummy – I shall definitely try it, perhaps for New Year’s Eve! xx
December 21st, 2009 at 03:17
Reading your post is a Christmas present in itself. Beautiful and evocative as always. Have a wonderful Christmas, darling girl.
Xxxxxx
December 21st, 2009 at 06:07
I really enjoyed your post.
And you know what, I would LOVE TO experience one of the Muslim or Hindu holidays!
December 21st, 2009 at 07:00
Beautiful – words, pictures.. everything gorgeous.
December 21st, 2009 at 07:04
Lovely memories and lovely figs too…it doesnt matter what each of us celebrates does it? ‘Tis the joy of the season that makes everything ‘warm and fuzzy’ that touches everyone around. Happy new year and have a good holiday Shayma.
)
December 21st, 2009 at 08:08
I love figs, and I love cardamom, therefore I love this recipe!
By the way, happy holidays dear Shayma, have a merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.
Take care!
Jasmine
December 21st, 2009 at 11:02
Lovely colours/ photographs…it works visually as well as tasting great I’m sure..
December 21st, 2009 at 11:37
I love figs and I love the idea of using them as a dessert (I have mainly eaten them in savoury dishes previously to add a touch of sweetness). Beautiful pics as well.
December 21st, 2009 at 14:25
Dear Shayma,
Your last post for the year was a delight to read and a Christmas present in itself; loved reading about your memories in England and especially loved to find out that your food memories in the heart of London was a shish taouk from Marroush, no less! I have the original Marroush here in Beirut, I need to go there to remind myself of these outings when we were teenagers too!
Your choice of dessert was excellent; I could not agree more with you on the figs and loved the way you designed your plate.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Joumana
December 21st, 2009 at 15:58
Merry Christmas, Shayma – hope you have a lovely holiday. The recipe looks really delicious.
December 22nd, 2009 at 07:38
Wishing all of you a lovely winter holiday as I board the plane. Buon Natale e Buon Anno. Thank you, as always for your kind words. Here’s to a wonderful 2010!
December 22nd, 2009 at 08:58
oh wow! beautiful and festive! a few years ago we did pears in red wine a few years ago but i think i like this bette.r
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:10
Shayma,
Where are you off to??
Such a beautiful post and those figs look divine…
Have a great trip and I look forward to us sharing more recipes in 2010.
December 22nd, 2009 at 15:38
Happy holidays and a wonderful 2010, Shayma!
Marion x – (in the country of gingerbread and stollen for the holidays)
December 22nd, 2009 at 19:29
All good things for you dear Shayma in this special dates: new colors, beautiful landscapes, the laughter of children, the warmth of your family and friends and all the merry Christmas of all those who appreciate and enjoy your sweetness and beautiful soul…
Big hugs,
Evangelina Prieto
(sorry my English)
December 24th, 2009 at 12:55
What a wonderful post. Your writing is so fluid–are you sure you’re an economist!?
Much love to you and yours this holiday season,
Reimas
December 24th, 2009 at 19:54
Happy holidays Shayma! I just lived this, this past week
We went to Ciao Bella for university Christmas lunch, then the next day I went to Ranoush on High Street Ken, then home, picking up fruit pastels from the airport for my mum, Cadbury’s hazelnut chocolate for dad, and assorted sweets for my little sister. And now I’m home, and probably tomorrow night going to have chicken, daal and rice for Christmas lunch.
December 25th, 2009 at 12:20
Wow; this looks amazing…thank you for sharing this beautiful post and Happy Holidays!
December 26th, 2009 at 10:12
Lovely post! Beautiful figs
December 27th, 2009 at 08:18
I really must try preparing figs this way.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a very Happy New Year!
December 30th, 2009 at 04:33
Beautiful memory and gorgeous dessert. Just beautiful! A happy holiday season to you and yours!
December 31st, 2009 at 06:42
wishing you n urs a happy new year Shayma.I m glad I found you and your blog this year!
xxx
zurin
January 2nd, 2010 at 15:02
Merry Christmas and now Happy New Year my dearest Shayma
When you are back, I have tagged you for a highlights of 09 meme (feel free to ignore if you wish)
xoxo
January 3rd, 2010 at 20:23
I’m late to the Christmas party here – these look absolutely divine, and reading your post was a joy. Have a brilliant 2010.
January 4th, 2010 at 06:33
I need to make this for my mother! LLGxx
January 5th, 2010 at 02:41
Did you see that LLG has nominated you as one of her blogs of 2010. And I have tagged you in a meme – it’s quite a simple one: you offer ten things about yourself and then tag seven blogs yourself.
http://mrstrefusis.blogspot.com/2010/01/eight-and-half.html
so good to see you.
xxxxxx
January 6th, 2010 at 10:21
It looks really delicious!
happy new year Shayma!
January 7th, 2010 at 17:07
Happy New Year, Shayma. Love the Christmas memories. Figs have to be one of my favorite fruits on the planet. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices. Combining the 2 = Heaven!
January 8th, 2010 at 15:48
Happy New Year!
Love your fig. It looks delicious.
January 9th, 2010 at 22:38
Happy , Healthy and Peaceful New Year to you and your loved ones…
I love this posting, and the figs dessert.
Love your photos and the beautiful memories, thanks so much for sharing…
this is my first visit to your blog, which I found through Joumana and I guess it wil not be the last…
take care
January 10th, 2010 at 18:53
Coucou! I am letting you know I have got some goodies (free) on my blog if interested!
January 10th, 2010 at 20:42
Oh Shayma what a lovely blog you have! And the first recipe I see here uses my favourite figs. I have to give it a try. I wish you all the best in 2010!
January 10th, 2010 at 22:32
Late in my wishes, but they are still sincere. All the best for this new year. And goodness, roasted figs and cardamom sounds a great start. They’re gorgeous.
January 11th, 2010 at 10:22
What a wonderful blog Shayma, I don’t know why I didn’t know about it until now!
Those figs look fantastic, like you I have a penchant for cardamom
Look forward to reading your blog posts throughout 2010, happy new year x
January 12th, 2010 at 17:22
What a gorgeous photo, I can’t wait until figs are in season again here in N.Y. And I love the pairing of vanilla and pistachios with this.
January 12th, 2010 at 19:07
Dear Shayma
Will you marry me?
(I should, in name of openess, confess that I’m married and also straight).
Failing marriage, please will you adopt me in a feeding me kind of way?
Signing off before I salivate over my keyboard,
Kavey
January 13th, 2010 at 02:52
Gorgeous blog, thank you so much for visiting me. xx
January 13th, 2010 at 10:19
Shayma… I would head straight for dessert too, but knowing your culinary skills, if you do choose to invite me for dinner, I promise to do supreme justice to the rest too!
This is GORGEOUS!!
Have a GREAT 2010!!
♥ Deeba
January 14th, 2010 at 09:35
Hi dear Shayma,where are you ?!
Hope you have a brilliant time
Lots of love
Parisa
January 14th, 2010 at 11:18
Have a great 2010 Shayma!
I adore cardamom and this fig recipe looks perfect.
January 16th, 2010 at 05:14
Shayma, what a delightful blog! I loved your personal account of Christmas, and your dessert recipe – I adore figs and your recipe and photography are very elegant. I found your blog via another favourite blog of mine, Syrian Foodie in London, I LOVE Levantine cuisine, Pakistani and Indian. I will make sure to be returning for more.
Luiz @ The London Foodie
January 20th, 2010 at 06:18
hope you had a beautiful holiday shayma! wishing you a beautiful and bountiful new year!
February 2nd, 2010 at 21:42
Great post, love the design of the site too.
February 21st, 2010 at 12:39
These are so beautiful! Figs are my absolute favorite. This has given me new ideas on how to use them. Now if only I could find some fresh ones at this time of year…!
March 1st, 2010 at 10:02
so glad that i found your lovely site. this looks like an absolutely delicious dish, i am such a fan of cardamom and figs, and but of course, red wine