Oven Poached Figs Recipes

HONEY POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• In a small or medium saucepan that's large enough to hold the figs, heat water, honey, and sugar (and vanilla and cinnamon, if using) on medium-high. Cook until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and add figs. Let simmer until tender but not mushy, 5-10 minutes, turning them occasionally so that each side is poached evenly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer figs to a bowl. Let the water-honey liquid continue simmering on medium-low heat until liquid reduces and thickens to a syrup consistency, about 15 more minutes. Let cool.
• Once the figs have cooled slightly, remove stems and cut in half.
• Keep sauce and figs in the refrigerator until ready to use. Serve at room temperature.
• Arrange figs and serve as desired. Figs can be served either a dollop of whipped cream, mascarpone, crème fraiche, or yogurt, or alongside desserts such as cake, cheesecake, or crepes. Drizzle with syrup.

POACHED FRESH FIGS

Steps:

• Combine wine, sugar, lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups water, thyme, and vanilla bean in a non-reactive medium size saucepan and heat to simmer, let simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Add figs to the syrup and continue to simmer until the figs are tender about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let figs cool about 10 minutes in the syrup. Remove and discard the thyme.
• Divide the figs among four glasses or bowls and spoon the warm syrup over the fruits. Garnish with Creme Fraiche and fresh thyme sprigs.

OVEN-POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325° F. Put the figs in an 8-inch-square ceramic or glass baking dish. Pour the port, wine, honey, and orange juice over the figs. Submerge the remaining ingredients in the liquid around the figs. Cover the dish with foil, and bake 1 hour.
• Remove the foil; continue to bake 45 minutes more, basting 2 or 3 times with the accumulated juices. Let cool completely, turning the figs occasionally to keep them moist.
• Transfer the figs to a plate. Pour the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl; reserve for the fig vinaigrette (recipe above). Discard the solids. The figs can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.

ORANGE POACHED FIGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, pepper and vanilla bean.
• Place an inverted 3-cup souffle dish in the center of a 10-inch pie plate to create a ring mold. Pour the liquid mixture into the dish.
• Arrange the figs in a circle, leaning them against the souffle dish with the stems facing up. Invert a second 10-inch pie plate over the first to form a cover.
• Cook at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Let figs cool before serving warm, or let cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream or heavy cream.

POACHED FRESH FIGS

Steps:

• Recommends using a heavy-bottomed 9-inch saute pan, 3 inches deep.
• Spread the sugar in the bottom of the pan, and pour in ½ cup water and the lemon juice.
• Set the figs in the pan, stem up, in one layer; nestle the strips of lemon zest and bay leaves in between the figs.
• Set the pan over low heat; cook slowly until the sugar melts and the figs release their juices.
• As the juices rise in the pan, gradually increase the heat to keep them bubbling.
• When the figs are soft and the liquid levels come halfway up their sides, about 30 minutes or more, turn off the heat, and let the figs rest in the pan for 1 hour or so, to reabsorb some of the juices.
• Slowly heat the figs and juices until they are 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 top with vanilla ice cream.

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.