For anyone who likes dried fruit, toasted nuts, the darkest of chocolate and the scent of orange oil this is a fabulous, nutritious festive treat. Fig salami is quick to make and gluten free. It keeps for a couple weeks in a cool, dry place. Only a little sugar creeps into the recipe with the home made crystallised orange peel which is chopped up and folded into the mix.
This recipe was given to me some years ago by my brother Martin, who is a very skilful and thoughtful cook. I think he spotted the recipe in the Independent.
I have changed it slightly over time and I am quite permissive when it comes to adding the alcohol which elevates the recipe to a higher plane of loveliness. I have used Pernod, dessert wine and Grand Marnier - where the orange flavours are really welcome against the bitterness of dark chocolate.
You can buy candied peel but I never do. It is so easy to make yourself and I wrote the recipe up here a few years ago.
The finished fig salami is double wrapped - first with edible wafer paper and then with waxed paper which not only looks nice but helps the fig salami to last the festive period.
Fig salami
Makes 4 x 20 cm salamis
Ingredients
75 g almonds, roughly chopped
75 g walnuts, roughly chopped
750 g dried figs
75 g dates, roughly chopped
75 g candied orange peel, finely chopped with a knife
50 g whole pistachios, dry roasted in a frying pan or oven for five mins.
75 g bitter chocolate roughly chopped into chips roughly 0.5 cm across
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
20 ml brandy
50 ml of a liqueur, such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Pernod or crème de menthe
½ teasp vanilla essence
edible wafer/rice paper (gluten free or leave out if you want the recipe to be gluten free)
Extras
wax or greaseproof paper for wrapping
decorative string or tape
Method
Roughly chop the almonds and walnuts in a food processor and then empty into a large bowl. Place the dried figs in a food processor and process roughly. Add the chopped figs to the bowl with the nuts. Quickly process the dates and then add these to the figs and nuts.
Add the chopped candied orange peel, dry roasted pistachio nuts, chocolate chips and cinnamon to bowl and add the brandy, liqueur and vanilla essence.
Place your hands in the bowl and mix the ingredients together really well. You should have stiff mixture which can be rolled into shape.
Divide the mixture into into four and roll into the shape of a salami (cylinder). Wrap each fig salami in a sheet of edible wafer/rice paper and then wrap in wax, grease-proof paper or foil to protect.
Keep the salami in the fridge or a cool, dry place. Serve the fig salami thinly sliced with coffee, liqueurs and sweet pudding wine.