I’m going to keep a jar of these in the fridge all winter. Sadly, the season for fresh figs is over, but these delicious dried ones –plumped up and enlivened by a long soak in red wine– are a delicious consolation. Served with a slab of a rich blue cheese (I love a St. Agur or Bleu d’Auvergne from France), they make a festive cheese course for a cold night. They’re also great layered with cheese on a slice of toasted baguette or a cracker to make little cocktail bites with big flavor.
These figs only take a few minutes to make, but they need to soak for three or four days, so you’ll need to plan ahead. They’ll keep in the fridge for months, though, so you can make a big batch to use for Holiday entertaining.
Recipe
(adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers)
Ingredients
8 oz (225g) dried figs (I used Italian dried white figs, but Black Mission figs are also excellent)
1 1/2 cups (350ml) red wine
2 bay leaves
A wide, 1-inch strip of lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
About 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
1. Pour the wine in a small saucepan with the bay leaves and simmer over medium heat to reduce to a scant 1/2 cup (100ml).
2. While the wine is reducing, cut the figs in half (or quarters if they’re large) and place them and the zest in a storage container with a close-fitting lid.
3. Stir the honey into the warm reduced wine and then pour it over the figs. Cover and shake. (It won’t seem like enough liquid, but don’t worry.)
4. Leave to soak and swell for 4-5 days, unrefrigerated, shaking the container occasionally, and then refrigerate. The figs will keep for months in the refrigerator.
Serve with a rich, strong cheese (blue is an excellent choice) as an after-dinner cheese course or on toasted bread or crackers as an hors d’oeuvre.
