Marsala Poached Figs With Ricotta Food

POACHED FIGS WITH FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat 3 cups water, the sugar, honey, and orange strips and grated zest in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar and honey have dissolved, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add figs; cover, and simmer until figs are just tender, about 20 minutes. Gently transfer figs to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Raise heat to medium-high, and bring syrup to a boil. Cook until syrup has reduced and thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Return figs to pan, and gently toss with syrup to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup ricotta into each of 4 bowls. Divide figs among bowls, and drizzle with syrup. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

ROASTED FIGS WITH FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the figs, cut side up, in a baking dish. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and whisk in the honey, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle the hot honey butter over the figs and roast in oven until very soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Divide the fresh ricotta or fat free yogurt among 4 serving dishes and top with the warm figs and sauce. Enjoy!
• Cook's Note: These hot figs are really great over mixed greens or even on a toasted baguette as a crostini!

SAMBUCA POACHED FIGS WITH RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS

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.

GRILLED VEAL OR PORK CHOPS WITH MARSALA FIG SAUCE, LEMON-RICOTTA ORZO, CELERY AND MUSHROOM SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the water to a boil for pasta. Season the water with salt and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need to add 1 box of peas the last minute of cooking time to the water.
• Pat chops dry. Mix the grill seasoning, seeds and coriander and rub the mixture into the chops.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small pot over medium low heat combine the figs, Marsala and thyme. Season with some black pepper and gently reduce 15 minutes.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil smokes, sear chops 2 minutes on each side and transfer to oven for 10 minutes.
• Slice the celery and mushrooms and combine with parsley.
• In a pasta bowl, combine the zest of 2 lemons with ricotta cheese, salt and pepper.
• Dress the celery and mushrooms with the juice of 2 lemons and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pepper and top with lots of shaved Parmesan.
• Add peas to orzo, cook 1 minute. Drain the orzo and peas and add to the lemon ricotta. Toss to combine and adjust salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve chops with figs on top and ricotta orzo and celery and mushroom salad along side.

MARSALA POACHED FIGS WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Add figs, marsala wine and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the figs soften and the wine is syrupy. Mix together ricotta, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Divide among 4 serving bowls and spoon the fig mixture over the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top. Serve.

FIGS WITH RICOTTA, PISTACHIO, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over a medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Chop coarsely.
• Cut each fig in half crosswise and place the fig pieces on a serving dish, cut side up. Make a small indentation into the cut side of each fig half with a small spoon or your finger. Put 1/2 teaspoon of the ricotta cheese onto each piece of fig and top with a pistachio. Drizzle with honey and serve.

FIGS POACHED IN MADEIRA WITH CREAM CHEESE & RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan place the figs so that they are all standing upright. Sprinkle the figs with the sugar and the cinnamon. Add enough of the Madeira so that it comes about half way up the sides of the figs. Place the pan, covered, over low heat and poach for 40 minutes. Remove the figs from the pan, then return the pan to the stove and on high heat boil down the liquid in the pan until it has thickened somewhat and is glossy-this should take about 10 minutes or so. Pour the reduced liquid over the figs and store them in a covered flat-bottomed storage container in your refrigerator until they are chilled. Meanwhile prepare the sauce.
• Sauce: In your food processor blend the cream cheese, Ricotta cheese, tsp cinnamon, and 4 TBS sugar until well-blended. Store this in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Final Preparation: Place 3 figs in each serving dish, spoon some of the liquid in which they have been stored over them, then top with some of the cheese mixture.

MARSALA-POACHED FIGS OVER RICOTTA

Steps:

• Place figs, Marsala (or port) and honey in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the figs soften and the wine is syrupy.
• Stir together ricotta, sugar and vanilla.
• Divide between 2 bowls and top with the fig mixture and almonds.