Figs With Bacon And Chile Food

CANDIED BACON-WRAPPED FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cut bacon strips in half crosswise. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain., Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of each fig; fill with 1/2 teaspoon cream cheese. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, chile blend powder and cinnamon. Dip one side of each bacon piece in brown sugar mixture; wrap each fig with a bacon piece, sugar side out. Secure with a toothpick., Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED FIGS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the broiler. Slice the figs about 3/4 of the way down the center lengthwise, and open each like a book; set aside.
• Combine the goat cheese, pesto, lemon juice and zest and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl with a rubber spatula. Fill each fig with about 1 teaspoon of the cheese-pesto mixture.
• Wrap each stuffed fig with a slice of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Put the figs, seam-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Broil, turning once, until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

FIGS WITH BACON AND CHILE

Steps:

• Cook bacon pieces in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low, stirring often, until brown and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl.
• Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet; save for another use. Add maple syrup to skillet, swirling to combine, and heat over medium-high. Arrange figs in skillet in a single layer, cut side down. Cook, swirling liquid occasionally, until figs are slightly softened and caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange figs cut side up on a platter and press pieces of bacon onto the surface of each fig.
• Set the skillet over medium heat, add vinegar, and stir into juices. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until syrupy, about 1 minute. Drizzle syrup over figs, then sprinkle with red pepper.

HONEY FIGS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Remove and discard stems from figs. Cut lengthwise slit in each fig, being careful to not completely cut through fig.
• Fill slits with cream cheese spread; press figs together to enclose cream cheese. Wrap with bacon; secure with wooden toothpicks. Place in single layer in shallow foil-lined pan.
• Mix honey and ground pepper until blended. Brush half the honey mixture onto figs.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until bacon is crisp. Remove and discard toothpicks.
• Drizzle figs with remaining honey mixture before serving.

FIGS WRAPPED IN BACON

Steps:

• Heat toaster oven to broil and line the toaster oven tray with foil.
• Wrap each fig in a strip of bacon, trimming the bacon as necessary, and secure with a toothpick. Season with salt and pepper and place on the toaster oven tray.
• Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the figs are tender.

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED FIGS WRAPPED IN BACON

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until most of the fat is rendered but bacon is still pliable, about 10 minute You do not want crispy bacon!
• Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain.
• Remove 1 scoop of flesh from each of the fig halves with the small end of a melon-baller, set aside for another use. (Makes great ice cream or just bite sized snacks).
• Scoop out a piece of the goat cheese with the same meon-baller and fill in the hole in each fig half with the cheese scoop.
• Stir together brown sugar, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
• Rub the mixture onto 1 side of each bacon slice, and cut each bacon slice in half to have 16 slices of bacon.
• Wrap 1 of the half strips of bacon around 1 of the fig halves, leaving the sugar/spice side out, and secure with a toothpick.
• Broil the figs, cut side up, on the rack of a broiler pan about 3 inches from the heat, until bacon is browned - about 2 minute.
• Cool slightly and then discard toothpicks.
• Serve warm.

BACON WRAPPED STUFFED FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and set oven rack in top position. Place parchment paper or aluminum foil on a rimmed baking sheet. Set a wire rack over the baking sheet.
• Add the bacon slices to a large skillet set over medium heat. Fry the bacon just until the fat has been released and the bacon is partially cooked. Do not fry crisp, the bacon should be flexible. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
• Using a small appetizer spoon or the tip of a paring knife, push aside the pulp in the center of each halved fig to create a small hollow area. Drop a few thyme leaves or a thyme sprig into each hollowed fig half and place a piece of blue cheese on top. Press the cheese down slightly into the fig.
• Wrap a strip of bacon around each filled fig half. Secure with toothpicks and trim off the excess bacon. Place on the wire rack of the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the warm honey over the top of each bacon-wrapped fig. Broil until the bacon gets crisp and brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt and serve warm or room temperature

FISH WITH FIGS, BACON AND PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Fry bacon in an ovenproof skillet and drain on paper towels. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet -- that adds lots of flavor! Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Saute for 2 minutes over medium heat.
• Chop bacon into half inch pieces.
• Add white wine, preserves, pecans and bacon to the skillet and reduce for about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and reserve.
• Season both sides of the filets with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. If you are not using fresh fish, you may need to add some other seasonings. Cover the fish with the fig mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite rice/couscous and a salad.
• Enjoy!

BACON-WRAPPED FIGS

Steps:

• Rinse the figs clean and pat them dry. Trim off any excess stem from them and set them aside.*
• Cut each piece of bacon in half lengthwise so you have long, skinny strips of bacon to work with. If you want to use less bacon per fig, cut them in half crosswise as well.
• Wrap each fig with a strip of bacon. The bacon should wrap around several times; have it overlap as little as possible. This method will help the bacon stay on without the help of toothpicks. If you want to use shorter bacon strips, you may need to use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place; once the bacon is cooked, it should hold in place on its own so you can remove the toothpicks as it cooks or before serving.
• You can now cook them one of two ways, on the stove or under a broiler:​ ​​ On the Stove : Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Set the bacon-wrapped figs in the pan and cook, turning as each side browns and crisps up, until all sides of the bacon are done to your liking. Remove the figs, setting them on several layers of paper towels to blot off any excess fat before serving them piping hot.​​ Under a Broiler : Heat a broiler. Set the figs on a baking sheet. Turn the figs as needed to brown and crisp the bacon on all sides. As above, transfer the figs to several layers of paper towels to blot off any excess fat before serving them piping hot. *If you want to gild the lily, cut a vertical slit in the sides of the figs before wrapping them and insert a peeled almond or a nub of blue cheese or a bit of goat cheese in the center, then proceed with Step #3.

BACON-WRAPPED, STUFFED, GRILLED FIGS

Steps:

• Use fresh Mission figs, the deep purple kind that are soft and ripe. Cut the figs in half.
• Into the center of the cut side of each fig, place a small scoop of goat cheese, about a tablespoon-full, depending on the size of your figs. Take some bacon strips and precook them in a pan until the fat turns transparent and they are about halfway done. It's important to precook the bacon, because it takes longer to cook through than the figs and cheese. You are just using the grill to sizzle up and finish the bacon. Cut the precooked bacon slices in half. Wrap the fig half with the bacon slice and secure with a toothpick.
• Set up two-zone fire. Grill the bacon-wrapped figs on the hot side of the grill. Watch them closely - the precooked bacon and the skin of the figs can burn very quickly if left unattended. Let the bacon sizzle up and cook further, then move to the cooler side to finish up. Remove when the cheese has melted, the bacon is crispy, and the fig is soft and tender.