It's fig season in wine country! If you are like me, and don't want your delectable homegrown goodies to go bad, preserves are the perfect solution. My first attempt at fig preserves turned out pretty well for being sugar-free and pectin-free. If you desire a thicker preserve, the addition of pectin or gelatin may be considered.

Fig Honey Preserves:
Makes about 3-4 cups of preserves.

Ingredients:

• ​2 lbs fresh figs, washed, stems removed, cut into quarters
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 4 tablespoons local raw honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Directions:
Place the figs in a large saucepan with water and coconut sugar. Stir and let sit unheated for 20-30 minutes. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over med-high heat for 2 minutes, then turn down the heat to bring to a simmer. Simmer for an hour, stirring often.

As the cooking process progresses, the figs will start to break down. If you desire more mashed preserves, mash the mixture up with a potato masher towards the end of the cooking process. 

Once the hour of cook time is complete, add the honey, lemon juice and lemon zest, stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Adding honey at this stage will allow for it to retain some of its healing properties. Turn off heat and allow the preserves to cool for a little bit. After cooling for 10-15 minutes, ladle out the mixture into clean jars. Place the lids on and allow to cool before placing in the jars. 

The preserves should last in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks. If you desire a longer preservation, process the jarred preserves in a hot bath for proper canning methods. 
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I was able to make this recipe using homegrown figs and meyer lemons accompanied by local Sonoma honey. The fig preserves pair perfectly with goat cheese or chèvre. Cheers to health and sustainable living!