Spiced Figs Recipes

SPICED FIGS

Steps:

• Bring ingredients to simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by three-fourths and syrupy, about 10 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature; discard bay leaf. To serve, spoon figs and syrup over a round of Buttermilk Fresh Cheese.

SPICED PICKLED FIGS WITH GINGER AND CARDAMOM

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash the figs. Pierce each fig 2 to 3 times with the tip of a paring knife. (This is to allow the pickling brine to permeate the fruit.)
• Put the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger, allspice, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaf into a large pot over high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the figs.
• When the liquid returns to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the figs in the liquid for 20 minutes.
• Add the honey and apple cider vinegar to the other ingredients, stirring gently to dissolve the honey but not break up the figs. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the figs start to appear translucent, about another 20 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs carefully into clean pint or half-pint canning jars. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe. Pour the hot liquid the figs were cooked in over the fruit, leaving half an inch of headspace between the surface of the food and the rims of the jars. Keep in mind that if you include the whole spices in the jars along with the figs, the spice flavor will intensify in storage. You can strain out the smaller spices but add one of the cinnamon sticks to each jar as an attractive garnish.​
• Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp dishcloth or paper towel. Screw on the canning lids.

POACHED FIGS IN SPICED HONEY SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar and honey in heavy large skillet. Stir over low heat until sugar and honey dissolve. Add allspice, cloves and juniper berries. Bring to simmer. Add figs, cover and simmer until figs are just tender, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to bowl. Chill until cold.
• Bring cooking liquid to boil. Boil until reduced to syrup consistency, about 5 minutes. Strain. Cool.
• Arrange figs in dessert goblets. Drizzle syrup over. Garnish with mint and serve.

SPICED FIGS

Steps:

• Sprinkle soda over figs, pour boiling water over figs and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• Drain.
• Mix syrup ingredients.
• Lemon chunks may be added (I don't use).
• Whole Ginger may be used also (I don't use).
• Bring to boil, add figs and boil for 10 minutes.
• Boil figs in syrup 10 minutes for 3 days.
• On 3rd day can in sterilized jars.
• Note: for 12 quarts of figs, use 10 pounds of sugar.

FIGS IN SPICED SYRUP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan (it should be large enough to hold all the figs). Stir as needed to dissolve the sugar.
• Add the half of a cinnamon stick and whatever other spices you choose to use (or all of them!) and simmer the syrup for about 10 minutes.
• Trim off and discard the stems from the figs.
• Put the figs in the syrup. Simmer about 5 minutes. Don't cook them too long, or they will completely fall apart.
• Remove the figs from the syrup and let the figs and syrup cool separately for about 15 minutes (if you leave the figs in, they will soften and start to fall apart a bit, so if that sounds good, leave them in!).
• Once slightly cooled off, strain the syrup, discard the spices, and pour the syrup back over the figs.

SPICED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH DRIED FIGS

Steps:

• Combine the rice, cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 17 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered.
• Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and the paprika. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 more minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Add the shallot to the skillet; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the figs, then add the vinegar and remaining 2 bay leaves. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid is mostly reduced, 1 minute. Return the chicken to the skillet along with any juices from the plate; add the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is reduced but still saucy, 10 to 12 minutes; season with salt.
• Fluff the rice, discarding the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and divide among plates. Top with the chicken, figs and sauce and sprinkle with the parsley.

SPICED FIGS IN PORT

Steps:

• Rinse figs, cover with water and simmer 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Return one cup of the cooking liquid to the pan, along with the remaining ingredients and simmer briefly, just until the sugar dissolves.
• Return figs to the pan and simmer 10 minutes longer. Cover and allow to stand overnight in syrups.
• Transfer to clean jars or containers and refrigerate or reheat to boiling, transfer to clean, hot, 16-ounce canning jars, process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath and seal with new lids according to manufacturer's directions.

SPICED POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• Combine wine, sugar, lemon peel, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, thyme, ginger, star anise, and cardamom in a small, deep saucepan. Place pan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes more.
• Add whole figs to the syrup; return to a simmer, cover, and poach gently until the figs are soft but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer figs and syrup to a bowl, and let stand to cool, until no more steam rises. When cool, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Combine mascarpone and confectioners' sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise, and, using a small paring knife, scrape out the seeds into the bowl with the mascarpone mixture. Stir together with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
• Remove chilled figs from the refrigerator, and let stand until room temperature. Transfer figs to another bowl, and strain syrup, discarding the solids.
• Place 2 figs, sliced in half, in the center of each plate. Spoon some of the poaching liquid to cover plate, and place a dollop of vanilla mascarpone next to figs.

SPICED FIGS POACHED IN WINE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients. Stir in figs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the figs are tender. Remove figs and set aside., Bring poaching liquid to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Strain into a small bowl; add figs. Cool. Serve with ice cream or yogurt if desired.

SPICED FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Finely chop lemon in processor. Add figs. Using on/off turns, process until figs are coarsely pureed. Transfer mixture to heavy large saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups sugar, cinnamon stick, 2 1/4 teaspoons minced ginger and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Simmer until mixture thickens to jam consistency and candy thermometer registers 200°F, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Divide hot preserves among hot clean jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 months.

SPICED FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Finely chop lemon in processor. Add figs.
• Using on/off switch, process until figs are coarsely pureed.
• Transfer mixture to heavy large saucepan. Add sugar, cinnamon stick, minced ginger and ground cloves.
• Simmer until mixture thickens to jam consistency and candy thermometer registers 200°F, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick.
• Divide hot preserves among hot clean jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 months.
• This is great for holiday gifts. Excellent served with crackers and cheese, and can also be served with meats, especially pork and ham.

SPICED BAKED FIGS WITH GINGER MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the figs in an ovenproof roasting dish, dot over the butter and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, then pour over the orange juice and mix lightly. Nestle the star anise amongst the figs and roast for 15-20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, mix the ginger and syrup through the mascarpone. Place 4 fig halves, drizzled with syrup, on a plate with a dollop of mascarpone and some shortbread fingers.