Fig Relish Food

FIG RELISH

Steps:

• Soak the onion in ice water for 10 minutes, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the onion and figs and half the chilies in a bowl.
• Blanch mint leaves in boiling water for 1 minute. Cool in ice water, drain, squeeze dry and finely chop. Add to the fig mixture. Add lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir well and taste. Add as much of the remaining chili as desired. Let sit for 1 hour so flavors can develop.

FRESH FIG CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, onion, ginger, mustard seeds, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, salt, allspice, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced by 2/3, forming a thick syrup. Add the figs and cook gently until the figs are very soft and beginning to fall apart and most of the liquid they've given off has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer the chutney to a non-reactive container and allow to come to room temperature before serving. The chutney may be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. (Alternately, hot chutney may be ladled into hot sterilized canning jars and processed in a hot-water bath according to manufacturer's directions.)

FIG CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the red wine to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the figs, orange juice, honey, cayenne, rosemary and star anise and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the figs soften and the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom. Cool to room temperature before removing the anise and rosemary.

FRESH FIG AND GINGER CHUTNEY FROM THE AUBERGE

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Uncover the pan and continue simmering for about an hour and a half, stirring often, until the chutney is reduced, thick and richly flavoured. If the chutney becomes too dry, add a splash of water. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding brown sugar, vinegar, or chilli flakes as needed. (Sometimes, depending on the water in the figs, this chutney can take over 2 hours to reduce.).
• Spoon into sterilised jars and seal. The chutney will keep for up to 8 or 9 months, unopened, in a cool, dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 weeks.

STICKY FIG & PORT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Put all of the ingredients in a pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 25-30 mins until sticky and jammy, adding 50ml water if it begins to stick. Leave to cool. Will keep in a sterilised jar for up to four months.

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH FIG RELISH

Steps:

• Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or the broiler. The fire should be moderately hot, and the rack set about 4 inches from the heat.
• Gently rinse and stem the figs; chop them into about 1/4-inch pieces, being sure to catch all the juice. Toss in a bowl with the capers, lemon zest and juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside while you cook the fish.
• Brush or rub the fish with the remaining oil, season it with salt and pepper and grill it, turning once, for a total of 6 to 12 minutes. (Swordfish is done when firm and almost opaque throughout; tuna can be cooked to any degree of doneness you like.)
• Just before serving, add the herbs to the fig relish; then taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve the fish with the fig relish spooned on top.

FIG AND ONION SPREAD

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat; stir onion in the hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover saucepan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and caramel-colored, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir figs into onion; cook and stir until figs begin to lose their shape and have softened into onion, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour balsamic vinegar into fig-onion mixture; cook until all the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, into fig-onion mixture until desired sweetness is reached. Serve warm or chilled.

CRANBERRY FIG RELISH

Steps:

• Place orange pieces in a food processor, and process until finely diced, about 30 seconds. Add figs, cranberries, and concentrate; pulse until coarsely chopped, 5 to 6 pulses.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover, and place in the refrigerator to sit overnight. To serve, remove from the refrigerator, and let stand until room temperature, about 2 hours.

DUCK TWO WAYS WITH CLEMENTINE-FIG RELISH

Steps:

• Duck:
• Mix peppercorns, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Prick skin of duck legs all over with a paring knife; season generously with salt. Sprinkle duck legs with spice mixture, pressing to adhere. Score fat of each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern, spacing 1/2" apart; season all over with salt. Divide legs and breasts between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour or chill uncovered up to 3 days.
• If chilling, let duck legs sit at room temperature 1 hour before braising.
• Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 300°F. Heat oil in a large wide Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium and cook leeks, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned around edges, 8-10 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and slip duck legs, skin side down, into liquid (depending on size of pan, they may overlap quite a bit-this is okay!). Pour in water to come three-quarters of the way up legs. Cover pot and braise duck legs in oven until submerged in their own fat, 1 1/2-2 hours.
• Turn duck legs skin side up and continue to braise (still covered) until tender and the bones wiggle easily in joints, 1 1/2-2 hours longer. Let legs cool in braising liquid, then chill until fat rises to the surface and solidifies, at least 2 hours.
• Relish and assembly:
• Cook clementines, figs, cognac, sugar, mustard, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar, until figs absorb some liquid and mixture is syrupy, 10-15 minutes. Let cool; remove bay leaves. Stir in vinegar, then strain 1/3 cup syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; set aside to use for glazing duck. Set remaining relish aside for serving.
• Let duck breasts sit until room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Place 2 duck breasts, skin side down, in a large skillet; set over medium-low heat and cook duck, occasionally pouring excess fat from skillet into a bowl (save it!), until skin is golden brown and crisp, 12-15 minutes. Turn duck over, increase heat to medium, and cook on other side 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Wipe out skillet and let cool down, then repeat with remaining 2 breasts. (If you have 2 large skillets, by all means do all 4 breasts at once.) Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Remove duck legs from braising liquid, brushing off any seeds or fat clinging to surface. Place, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and lightly brush with reserved glaze. Roast until golden brown and skin is crisp, 10-15 minutes.
• Serve duck legs and sliced breasts with reserved relish.
• Do Ahead
• Duck legs can be braised 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Relish can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill strained glaze and relish separately. Bring to room temperature before using.

FRESH FIG CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 1 hr, uncovered, stirring occasionally until it gets sticky and jammy. Spoon into a clean Kilner jar. That's it. You're done.

LAMB CHOPS WITH POMEGRANATE AND DRIED FIG RELISH

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients, 3 teaspoons oil, and 1/4 teaspoon cumin in small bowl.
• Sprinkle lamb with remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium. Top with relish and serve.