OVEN-POACHED FIGS

Oven-Poached Figs image

Categories Bake Fig

Yield makes 12

Number Of Ingredients 10

12 fresh figs
1/4 cup tawny port
1/4 cup full-bodied red wine, such as Pinot Noir
3 tablespoons honey
1 strip orange zest (3 inches), plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 whole green cardamom pods, split open
2 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

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.