Mark Bittman

Figs Poached in Wine

Preparation info
  • Makes

    4

    servings
    • Difficulty

      Easy

    • Ready in

      20 min

Appears in
The Best Recipes in the World: More Than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home
The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

  • About

You can poach dried figs, of course, but fresh ones achieve a kind of swollen, bursting tenderness that is sublimely sensual. Green figs, not quite fully ripe, are best for this purpose, but the more common Black Mission figs—also not quite ripe—are almost as good.

Ingredients

  • 16 figs, preferably fresh
  • 2 cups fruity red wine, preferably Burgundy (Pinot Noir)

Method

  1. Gently wash the figs. Put the wine and sugar in a saucepan or skillet with a lid; the pan should be broad enough to hold the figs in one layer. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers. Add the figs, cover, and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Transfer the figs to a shallow bowl.
  2. Reduce the cooking liquid over high heat until syrupy, about 1