Aromatic Pork With Baby Zucchini And Figs Food

TEA INFUSED PRUNES AND FIGS

Steps:

• Boil 1 pint of water in a medium saucepan.
• Remove from heat and add the tea bags and steep for 10 minutes.
• Remove the teabag from the pan and add the brandy (or Marsala), sugar, lemon, cinnamon and rosemary to the tea.
• Add the prunes and figs, bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile place the yoghurt in a bowl and split the vanilla pod to remove the seeds, add the seeds to the yoghurt, and mix well.
• Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until completely cold.
• Remove the cinnamon, lemon and rosemary.
• Serve with vanilla yoghurt.

CHICKEN AND ROASTED FIGS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, and cornstarch. Whisk in honey and set aside. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper.1.
• 2. Heat a heavy 12- to 14-in. ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat, then add chicken skin side down and brown until skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
• 3. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook shallots until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir, and add it and the chopped oregano, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper to the skillet; cook until mixture bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 4. Set chicken skin side up in frying pan and add figs. (If you do not have an ovenproof skillet, transfer everything to a baking pan). Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes (or to internal temperature of 165 deg). Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.
• Notes; Chicken thighs vary wildly in size. The two in my photo were about 1 1/4 lbs together. I cooked them a little longer in the skillet, so as to keep the time in the oven the same. I made the whole recipe of the sauce, but would not make quite that much next time if not making the entire recipe - it didn't caramelize enough in the oven. It was still delicious - like lick the plate delicious - but I would have liked it to caramelize. I sliced the garlic instead of chopping it, and just stripped the oregano leaves off the stems, as I had tender, young stems with small leaves.

LAMB STEW WITH LEMON AND FIGS

Steps:

• Set strainer lined with double layer of cheesecloth over medium bowl.
• Place yogurt in strainer; cover and chill 3 to 5 hours to drain.
• Transfer yogurt to small bowl.
• Stir in mint; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.).
• Place 1/2 cup warm water and saffron in small bowl; let stand at least 20 minutes to infuse.
• Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches, cook lamb until brown on all sides, adding more oil as needed, about 5 minutes per batch.
• Transfer lamb to large bowl.
• Pour all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot (or add 1 tablespoon oil if dry); heat pot over medium heat.
• Add onions; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add lemon, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne.
• Stir 1 minute.
• Add saffron mixture; stir, scraping up browned bits.
• Add tomatoes with juice, figs, and lamb with any juices to pot.
• Stir to coat.
• Add 2 1/2 cups broth.
• Bring stew to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if dry, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper (Can be made 2 days ahead.
• Cool slightly.
• Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill, skim off any fat.).
• Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more chicken broth if necessary.
• Divide stew among 6 plates; top each serving with dollop of minted yogurt.