Oven-Poached Figs

Name: Oven-Poached Figs
Ingredients: 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

10 ingredients

10 steps

Ingredients

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

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Put the figs in an 8-inch-square ceramic or glass baking dish.
2

Pour the port, wine, honey, and orange juice over the figs.
3

Submerge the remaining ingredients in the liquid around the figs.
4

Cover the dish with foil, and bake 1 hour.
5

Remove the foil; continue to bake 45 minutes more, basting 2 or 3 times with the accumulated juices.
6

Let cool completely, turning the figs occasionally to keep them moist.
7

Transfer the figs to a plate.
8

Pour the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl; reserve for the fig vinaigrette (recipe above).
9

Discard the solids.
10

The figs can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.