Poached Figs Jamie Oliver Recipes

JAMIE'S BAKED FIGS

Steps:

• You should have no problem getting nice figs at Christmas time and they're wonderful to make in so many ways so when you see them, buy them up! Here's one really gorgeous way to have them. I promise you won't get bored of these; there are so many lovely ways of using them up.
• Personally, I like to make a sort of bruschetta with them or put them out on a platter with some nice cheese. As it's Christmas and your kitchen is probably well-stocked, you'll hopefully have the ingredients for the bruschetta on hand already. If not, you can always improvise with whatever you've got in the fridge.
• Preheat your oven to 110ºC/225ºF/gas ¼. Lay your figs, cut-side up, in a baking tray. Using a fine grater, zest your clementines over the figs then dust the figs with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar. My flavoured sugar is also great for this so if you've made a batch of that, feel free to use that instead.
• Pop the figs in the oven to bake for 4 hours, checking on them every hour or so. When they come out of the oven you'll have semi-dehydrated figs, which will be a bit like wine gums.
• Fig bruschetta Get yourself a few slices of nice warm bread, crumble over some lumps of cheese, and a few pieces of walnut then put a few fig halves and a drizzle of runny honey over the top to finish it off. I think the combination of salty goat's cheese with these figs and a bit of honey is absolute heaven.
• Figs in honey You'll be able to put any leftover figs to good use in all sorts of ways. A really nice way of using them at Christmas is to turn them into a bit of a gift by popping a stack of them in a sterilised jar, covering them completely with honey then sealing the jar with an airtight lid. They'll be beautiful as part of a cheese platter, baked in a tart, a sticky toffee pud, or even thrown into a roasting tray with some pork or other meat for a bit of added sweetness. Give them to your mates when you go round to theirs for dinner. They'll love getting something unique, especially when you explain all the different things they can do with them.

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 PEACHES OR APRICOTS & LEMONGRASS

Steps:

• Halve the lemongrass lengthways and place in a small pan.
• Gently heat the sugar and 400ml of water in the pan with the lemongrass over a medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Carefully add the peaches or apricots, and gently press a circle of greaseproof paper down on top to keep the fruit covered with liquid.
• Cook at a very gentle simmer for 4 to 5 minutes for apricots, or 10 to 12 minutes for peaches, or until the fruit is tender, but not squishy.
• Pour into a bowl to cool.

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.