Fig And Wine Conserve Recipes

Steps:

• Place the orange zest and orange juice in a medium (10-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the sugar, vanilla bean, and figs to the pot. Cover and bring to a full boil over medium heat. (Don't worry; it may look dry.) Stir the mixture and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat, and cook uncovered at a full simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the little bubbles to be throughout the pot, not just at the edges. After 45 minutes, refrigerate a small amount of the liquid to see if it becomes syrupy. It should be like a soft fruit preserve. Keep cooking just until the liquid starts to gel when cold. If the liquid is too firm, add a little orange juice or water, cook for a minute, and test it again until it's right. Depending on how ripe the figs are, they will probably keep their shape, but it's fine if they don't. Discard the vanilla bean and serve or refrigerate.

Steps:

• Bring 1 pound chopped fresh figs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar melts. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until a drop of the mixture sets on a chilled plate, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon each lemon juice and ruby port, and a pinch of pepper. Fill sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace, then seal and process (see Cook's Note) for 15 minutes. Serve this with goat cheese, prosciutto and crackers.

Steps:

• Trim tips off figs and quarter; set aside.
• In a saucepan bring wine and sugar to a boil. Tie cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves into a cheesecloth bundle; add to syrup along with figs.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until figs are very tender and liquid is thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature Store in a mason jar in the fridge (up to 2 weeks).

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl place figs and sprinkle with baking soda. Pour the boiling water over the figs and soak for 1 hour.
• Drain figs and rinse thoroughly with cold water. In a large Dutch oven combine the sugar and the 4 cups of water; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the figs and lemon slices to the syrup in the Dutch oven and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon figs into hot, sterilized jars and spoon syrup over figs, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Top jars with lids and screw bands on tightly. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.