• 1 pound dried figs
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 or 3 small branches of thyme (or ½ teaspoon crumbled dried thyme tied in a bit of muslin)
• 3 tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook at a simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, turning the figs over from time to time in their liquid if not completely covered. Remove the figs to a serving dish, discard the thyme, and reduce the cooking liquid over a high flame by about one third—or to the consistency of a light syrup—and pour over the figs. Good either tepid or chilled. Serve a dry cookie-like thing on the side.