Best Sambuca Poached Figs With Ricotta And Pine Nuts Recipes

Poached Fresh Figs image

Yield serves 10 to 12

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 pounds ripe but firm fresh figs
Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in strips about 1/2 inch wide
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
Recommended Equipment
A heavy-bottomed 9-inch sauté pan, 3 inches deep

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.

Millefeuille of Fresh Figs and Ricotta image

Provided by Anita Lo

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 sheets phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
4 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
Fresh lemon juice
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
16 black mission figs, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted 10 minutes in a cast-iron skillet

Steps:

Heat oven to 325°F.
Brush a large, shallow baking sheet with some butter and lay 1 phyllo sheet on top. (Cover remaining phyllo with a damp cloth.) Brush phyllo with butter and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon sugar. Layer another phyllo sheet on top and press down. Repeat layering until you use all sheets, ending with 1 teaspoon sugar on top. Cut phyllo stack into 32 equal squares. Bake until squares are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes.
Mix ricotta, sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt; add lemon juice to taste. Sauce: Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; continue to boil until reduced and slightly syrupy, 5 to 7 minutes. Assembly: Place a dab of ricotta mix on a plate. Top with 1 phyllo square, 1 tbsp ricotta and fig slices. Repeat for a total of 4 layers. Sprinkle with black pepper. Drizzle plate with balsamic reduction and scatter pine nuts around. Repeat.

Sambuca Poached Figs with Ricotta and Pine Nuts image

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup Sambuca
2 tablespoons sugar
12 firm-ripe fresh purple figs
3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh)

Steps:

Heat oil in a small skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pine nuts, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and season with salt.
Simmer Sambuca with sugar in a saucepan (pan should be just large enough to hold figs upright), stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cut a very thin slice from bottom of each fig and stand figs in liquid in saucepan (figs will not be covered by liquid).
Poach figs at a bare simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Cool slightly in liquid.
Season ricotta with salt and pepper. Divide figs among 4 plates alongside mounds of ricotta and drizzle figs with some of poaching liquid, then sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.