285085 Tue May 09 07:53:16 -0700 2006 7 31 Home Cooking 0 1525756 I bought a bag of mission figs for a chicken recipe, but cannot make it because the main ingredient was discontinued (non substitutable). So, does anyone have any recipes of something I can make with them? Obviously I can eat them as is, if not! Tue May 09 07:53:16 -0700 2006 0 pamd 1 1525763 Poach them. Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 4 cups of water over medium-low heat; add 2 tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes before removing the bags; then add 1 lb of figs, the peeled rind of 1 orange, and 2 tablespoons of chopped crystallized ginger and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before refrigerating withe liquid; they will keep a few weeks in the frig. Tue May 09 08:31:53 -0700 2006 1525756 0 Karl S 1 1525768 Here is a list of fig recipes and preparation suggestions that I have compiled over the years - many from this board. Hopefully it isn't overkill. LOL! WHAT TO DO WITH FIGS • Cut the stem of the figs and gently open like a flower and put in bowl. If the figs are huge then cut in half. Second, hand tear one bundle of basil leaves. Third, cut up fresh mozzarella (salted please) into one inch cubes. Fourth, tear off shreds of good prosciutto. Fifth, mix up the salad with a dressing made from good olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper (all to your individual taste). It does not need a lot of dressing, but provides a heavenly array of flavors on the plate. This could have been dinner. • Stem and cut figs in half lengthwise. Wrap in a half slice of Proscuitto (just to get a single layer of proscuitto), thread wrapped figs on a skewer. Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and grill on low heat, just to heat it through. • For dessert, cut fig in half again, and serve with fresh raspberries and honey sweetened mascarpone. A sprinkle of cinnamon in the mascarpone works. • Slice figs and serve with premium coffee ice cream with a drizzle of sweetened espresso over it all. • Spread half a fig with light Boursain cheese spread and topped it with a walnut. Lots a flavor and the nut stuck to the fig. • A little cream cheese and a candied pecan on half a fig was good for a quick summer dessert. • Halved and wrapped in thinly sliced pancetta, grilled, and served with bitter greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette with a little balsamico for an extra hit. • Halve and bake them at 400 or 425 with honey and orange juice drizzled over. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone or orange whipped cream. • Homemade thin crust pizza with fig jam/preserves, cambonzola cheese and proscuitto - amazing!!! Throw the stone on the BBQ and have a pizza with all the summer pizza toppings - tomato, basil, grilled veggies, etc. • Quarter figs, grill (or roast) them briefly, then push a small chunk of smoked fresh goat cheese into the fig and wrap with a bit of Serrano ham. The still-warm fig softens the ham slightly. For maximum eyes-rolling-back-in-head action, drizzle with a little real balsamico. • Slice them in half. Put them in a toaster oven on dark for one or two cycles to roast them, make sure not to burn them. Use a vegetable grater to shave some Reggiano over them and make a Basalmic reduction and drizzle a little bit over them. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Nutty. Each bite is pure heaven. Serve them warm. • Salad made with arugula and some water- or pepper-cress. Top with quartered figs, mild goat cheese and perhaps some toasted nuts. a drizzle of good balsamic and olive oil and you're set. • Fig vodka: in a gallon jar, fill the bottom 1/4 or 1/5 of the jar with stemmed figs, and pour the vodka over. Let it hang out for a few months. • Make a fig-balsamic syrup. Simmer a bottle of good (not "special") balsamic (Fino) with several diced figs. Let it get slightly syrupy. strain to remove the seeds and rebottle - you can use this over vanilla ice cream and it's divine. • Take a good crusty roll and put sliced figs, prosciutto, fontina cheese, arugula and a light drizzle of olive oil & balsamic. • If in the mood for something sweet, try slicing the figs in half, dusting the tops with a small amount of sugar and putting them under the broiler for a few minutes. The caramelized fig flavor is amazing and you'll usually get a bit of fig "juice" that releases from the fruit and collects in the center of the fig half. • Make a slightly tart raspberry coulis and place it at the bottom of a shallow bowl, top with a dollop of creme fraiche and some figs sautéed in a bit of butter and brown sugar so they were a bit caramelized. my favorite way to eat fresh figs - sliced on crostini spread with soft goat cheese and topped with lemon basil. Halved and roasted in the oven, served warm with goat cheese or blue cheese and drizzled with honey. Stuffed, along with blue cheese, ground fennel, and shallots, into a pork roast. Drizzle roast with olive oil and fig-infused balsamic vinegar before baking/grilling. Fig/Rhubarb Jam 1 lb finely cut unpeeled rhubarb 1/4 lb chopped, stemmed figs 3 tablespoon lemon juice Cover with 1 lb sugar and let stand for 24 hours. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until thickened. Fig Chutney 2 1/2 cups red wine vinegar 1/2 pound light brown sugar 1 onion, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds, 1/4 lemon, zested, 1/2 cinnamon stick 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 1/4 pounds firm, slightly under ripe fresh figs, rinsed, stems removed and halved In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, onion, ginger, mustard seeds, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, salt, allspice, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced by 2/3, forming a thick syrup. Add the figs and cook gently until the figs are very soft and beginning to fall apart and most of the liquid they've given off has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chutney to a non-reactive container and allow to come to room temperature before serving. The chutney may be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. (Alternately, hot chutney may be ladled into hot sterilized canning jars and processed in a hot-water bath according to manufacturer's directions.) Fig and Gorgonzola Quesadillas I used dried figs but I don't see why fresh would not work as well. Just spread equal amounts of the cheese and chopped figs atop one tortilla and top with another. Brush both sides with a bit of olive oil. Grill over direct heat on both sides just briefly to get grill marks, move away from coals shut lid and heat about 2 to 3 minutes. Roast figs with parma ham and rocket (serves six as a starter) Starters do not come much simpler than this. Excellent dinner party fare: foolproof, even for large numbers, and extremely popular. 12 figs, not overripe 12 slices parma ham 500g (1lb 2oz) rocket leaves extra-virgin olive oil squeeze of lemon juice Wrap each fig in a slice of the ham so that it is completely enclosed, and set in an ovenproof dish. Place in a preheated very hot oven (240°C/475°F/gas mark 9) and roast for 8-10 minutes. The ham should be crisp and the fig bursting with juice inside. Dress the rocket with the olive oil and lemon juice - no further seasoning - and arrange in a pile on six plates. Place two figs on each heap and serve as is. Oakleaf, fig and goat's cheese salad (serves six as a starter) While there is nothing particularly autumnal about oakleaf (apart from its appearance) that lovely delicate lettuce with deep red leaves (that can be green rather than red, as it happens) and pale yellow hearts combines beautifully with both figs and cheese. 18 very thin slices of stale baguette or ciabatta 100g (31/2oz) semi-soft goat's cheese 1 tbsp double cream 6 figs 2 heads oakleaf lettuce 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp milled black pepper 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Toast the bread under a hot grill. Mash the goat's cheese with the cream to form a smooth paste and spread this on the croutons. Peel and quarter the figs. Discard any wilted outer leaves of the salad and separate the rest into bite size pieces. Wash tenderly and dry thoroughly. Dissolve the mustard and salt in the vinegar, add the pepper then whisk in the olive oil. Assemble all the ingredients in a salad bowl, croutons on top, pour over the vinaigrette and serve. Baked figs with feta and mint (serves six as a starter, dessert or accompaniment) 6 figs 1 orange 50ml (2fl oz) red wine 25ml (1fl oz) red wine vinegar 100ml (4fl oz) olive oil 1/2 tsp coarsely milled black pepper 100g (4oz) feta cheese 20 leaves of mint Wash the figs and then cut them in half from head to toe (or stem to base) to create a heart shape. Place these halves with the cut side uppermost in an ovenproof dish good-looking enough to bring to the table. Make a marinade with the juice of the orange, the red wine, the vinegar, the olive oil and the pepper, whisking them together very well and then spooning this mixture over each of the figs. Place the dish in a medium hot oven (220°C/425°F/gas mark 7) for 12 minutes, basting once with the marinade from the dish. Cut the feta into 1cm (1/2in) cubes. Scatter these over the figs and return the dish to the oven for two or three minutes, or until the feta is half-melted on top of the figs. Coarsely chop the mint leaves and scatter over the figs. Baste the figs one more time with the juices from the tray and then let cool for half an hour before serving. Spiced figs (makes three liters, or two large Kilner jars) The thoughtful and well organized will doubtless prepare many jars of these to give to friends at Christmas. If you just want some spiced figs but do not want the bother (such as it is) of preserving jars, simply pour the pickling mixture over some figs in a bowl, cover them with a plate and refrigerate for one week. They are particularly good with cooked ham. 20 fresh figs, ripe but not bursting 500ml (18fl oz) cider vinegar 500g (1lb 2oz) light brown unrefined sugar 1 tsp salt 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thickly sliced 6 cloves corns 1 cinnamon 20 pepperoni stick 1 red chili, sliced 10 thick strips of orange zest (no white pith) 3 bay leaves Sterilize two 1.5 liter (23/4 pint) Kilner jars (preferably the French type with the hinged lid and orange rubber seal) by running them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle. Wash the figs in cold water and place them in the two jars. Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan with 500ml (18fl oz) of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for five minutes and then pour this mixture over the figs, dividing the spices and aromatics as far as possible between the two jars. The figs should be completely immersed and the jars should be very nearly full. Seal the lids. Then cut some slits into several sheets of newspaper and place them, folded, on the bottom of a deep saucepan large enough to hold the two jars. Put the jars in the pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up their sides. Then place the pan on a simmering heat for half an hour. Take off the heat and allow to cool before refrigerating the jars. Check them the next day: the seals should be so tight that they are impossible to lift without using the hinge. The figs will keep very well for six months in the fridge. BRUSCHETTA WITH FRESH RICOTTA, FIGS, AND TOASTED SAGE 3 sprigs fresh sage 1 recipe grilled or toasted bruschetta (see above) 1/2 cup fresh ricotta 4 fresh figs, thickly sliced Olive oil (for sprinkling) In a cast-iron skillet, toast the sage leaves, watching them carefully, until they begin to curl. Spread the bruschetta with ricotta, overlap 2 or 3 slices of fig on top of each, and sprinkle with oil. Garnish with the sage leaves. Serve at once. Unnamed Fig recipe 1 pint figs (I use the black ones) 1 red pepper A couple of hot peppers (optional) olive oil 1/2 lb. prosciutto @1/2 cup fresh herbs (sage, oregano, thyme) 1/2 cup olive oil 1T garlic 1 box pasta (16 oz. I use spaghettini) 1 cup grated parmesan cheese Half figs and red pepper. Toss in bowl with hot peppers and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Chop up all the herbs. Grill at medium heat. Figs will take about 2-3 minutes (cut side down). Peppers will take about 3-4 minutes Prosciutto will be about a minute. The prosciutto will crisp up. Meanwhile, cook pasta. When pasta is finished, toss with olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Chop up red pepper, hot pepper and prosciutto. Toss with pasta and finish with cheese. Voila. Chocolate-Dipped Almond-Stuffed Figs Higos Rellenos de Almendras en Chocolate 3/4 cup brandy 16 soft plump dried Calimyrna figs 16 lightly toasted blanched almonds, preferably marcona 10 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), finely chopped or coarsely ground in a food processor 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped 1. Place the brandy in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power until very hot, 1 minute. Place the figs in a bowl that will hold them snugly. Pour the hot brandy over the figs and let soak for about 30 minutes, stirring several times. Drain the figs thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. (If you’d like, the brandy can be reused in baking or to plump dried fruit.) 2. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, make a deep incision in the bottom of a fig and push an almond inside. Repeat with the remaining figs and almonds. (Calimyrna dried figs often come tightly pressed together in round packages. If this is the case, once the figs are stuffed, pat and squeeze them lightly between your fingers to restore their round shape.) 3. Place the chocolate in a small stainless-steel mixing bowl set over a pot of simmering water or in the top of a small double boiler (over simmering water) over low heat and stir until it melts completely, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter and stir until the chocolate mixture is glossy, then remove from the heat. The melted chocolate mixture needs to be at least 1 1/2 inches deep to cover the figs. If the level in the mixing bowl or double boiler is too shallow, scrape about half of it into a 1-cup measure, replenishing it as needed. 4. Line a small baking sheet or a large plate with aluminum foil or use a Silpat pan liner, if you have one. Holding a fig by the stem, dip it in the chocolate mixture, turning to coat it completely and letting the excess drip off. If the stem is not long enough to hold, you can skewer the fig on a toothpick. Place the chocolate-dipped fig on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining figs. 5. Refrigerate the figs until the chocolate is completely set, about 2 hours. After an hour, use a thin spatula or knife to gently separate the figs from the aluminum foil or pan liner so they don’t stick. Makes 16 figs. Chocolate and Almond stuffed figs 16 large dried figs (Mission or other) 1 cup orange juice (Preferably fresh) 1/4 cup chocolate chips 15 whole almonds Cut a 1 inch long slice in each fig, about 2/3 through. Place the cut figs in a shallow bowl, add the orange juice and let the figs plump somewhat and absorb some of the juice for about 1 hour Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a glass baking dish large enough to accommodate the figs in a single layer with nonstick cooking spray Drain the figs, reserving the juice. Open each fig and stuff the slit with 3 or 4 chocolate chips. Top each slit with an almond. Arrange the stuffed figs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour the reserved juice evenly over the figs. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. To serve, spoon the figs into a dish and spoon a little of the juice evenly over the top. Tue May 09 09:04:00 -0700 2006 1525756 0 EAF 2 1525871 Overkill?! No, you just made a fig-lover's (i.e. my!) day!! Tue May 09 14:42:18 -0700 2006 1525768 0 Serena 2 1525939 Wow, a fig "thesis"! Tue May 09 17:38:46 -0700 2006 1525768 0 Funwithfood 1 1525784 I assume you bought dried (since my fig tree in the bag is just now greening its breba crop, which is the less tasty of the two), but make a filling of ricotta (or goat cheese) and figs and stuff it in chicken breasts. Or make pie pastry and wrap around the cheese of your choice (mascarpone) and figs... or soak them in very hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate a bit, then chop them and toss with boiled bitter greens like Swiss chard, add some walnuts for crunch. Tue May 09 10:02:28 -0700 2006 1525756 0 Das Ubergeek 1 1525850 There's a delicious recipe for Lamb with Black Mission Figs here: Link: http://americanlambboard.org/?nav_id=6df789cbaccc541d470a8c704d13eeac&page=site/recipe_details&recipe_id=13&prep_marinate_cook=&keyword=&recipe_cut_id=&recipe_category_id=# Tue May 09 13:42:37 -0700 2006 1525756 0 Nancy Berry 2 1525989 wow- thanks everyone! EAF- I didn't know you could do THAT much with figs! Now I'm excited to buy more. question though...I have dried figs, how will I know if the suggestion is for dried or fresh- sorry if it seems obvious, but as much as I cook, I've never done anything with figs before. Tue May 09 22:59:54 -0700 2006 1525850 0 pamd