Balsamic Poached Figs Recipes

BALSAMIC-POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat sugarand 1/2 cup water until sugar dissolves.Add vinegar, orange juice,thyme, and spices and bring toa boil. Reduce until slightly thickened,about 5 minutes. Transferto a medium heat-proof bowl andadd figs. Let cool completely.

SUMMER POACHED FIGS WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugars in 2/3 cup water.
• Add the unpeeled figs to the hot syrup. Cover & simmer 30 minutes.
• Turn off heat & let sit covered 8 hours.
• Reheat to simmer, add julienned ginger & simmer covered 30 minutes until figs become translucent. Add optional Frangelica & simmer 5 minutes more.
• Let cool.
• Pack into quart or 1/2 gallon glass jars & refrigerate.

GORGONZOLA FIGS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• For glaze, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil over medium heat; cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup., Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of each fig; fill with 1-1/2 teaspoons cheese. Wrap each with a piece of prosciutto; place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. , Bake at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp. Serve warm with glaze.

PICKLED FIGS IN BALSAMIC

Steps:

• Place figs in a large pot and cover with boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool. Drain all but 3 cups of the water. Combine the 3 cups water, vinegar, sugar, honey, vanilla, peppercorns, allspice berries, juniper, salt, rosemary, lemon meat and zest strips in a large nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Carefully lower the figs into the simmering syrup. Simmer uncovered for twenty minutes, add the walnuts. Continue simmering for another 10-25 minutes depending on the size of your figs. The liquid should look slightly syrupy and the figs should be a little glossy .
• Arrange figs in jars, dividing the goodness in the syrup evenly between them. With a ladle pour the syrup over the figs leaving 1/2 inch of headroom.
• Close and seal the jars . Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

POACHED FRESH FIGS

Steps:

• Spread the sugar in the bottom of the pan, and pour in 1/2 cup water and the lemon juice. Set the figs in the pan, stem up, in one layer. Nestle the strips of lemon zest and the bay leaves in between the figs.
• Set the pan over low heat, and cook slowly until the sugar melts and the figs release their juices. As the juices rise in the pan, gradually raise the heat to keep them bubbling (and "galloping"). When the figs are soft and the liquid level comes halfway up their sides, in 30 minutes or more, turn off the heat, and let the figs rest in the pan for an hour or longer, to reabsorb some of the juices.
• Slowly heat the figs and juices until they're bubbling again, and cook for 30 minutes or so, until the figs are very soft (but still intact) and the juices have become thick and syrupy.
• Let the figs cool before serving. Arrange them in a serving dish if you like, with the syrup all around. Enjoy the fruit and syrup on their own, or atop vanilla ice cream, or with a soft, creamy cheese such as Taleggio or Robiola.

ROASTED FIGS WITH BALSAMIC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Place figs, cut sides up, on foil-covered baking sheet.
• Mix dressing and butter until blended; drizzle over figs.
• Bake 15 to 18 min. or until figs are softened. Cool 5 min.
• Top with cream cheese spread.