[anneke]

Yup, this morning, 4:00 at the city's food terminal.

They're fabulous!

I bought a flat to share with someone. Half will be gone by the end of the night or course, but with the other half I'd like to make a preserve that I could serve in a month's time with foie gras au torchon, for a nice dinner party I have planned.

I'm thinking of cooking them up with a bit of balsamic, maybe a touch of honey and some Port.

Before I do this, does anyone have a really great fig chutney or compote they'd like to share? (to go with foie gras)

 

[cape chef]

Sounds wonderful Anneke!!!

I'd love to see how you prepare your torchon, I serve mine chilled with a rhyne cider jelly, arugula and a hazel nut vinaigrette that's awesome.

Are you serving it hot or chilled, if you can hold back an once of the liver, make your torchon, and with the piece you saved, sear it to release it's fat and scarf it down...now with the fat, saute some minced shallot with a small bunch of French thyme, throw in your mission figs (quartered) a touch of kosher salt and milled black pepper and some pink peppercorns rolled in your palms, deglaze with some lbv port and reduce..if you can get or make a little duck stock, reduce that to sec and add it to your reducing sauce...cook it just long enough to to release the natural pectin from the fruit...that's it, simple but elegant

 

[anneke]

Sounds heavanly cc, except that the figs are here with me now. The foie gras will be here next month.

That's why I was hoping to make some kind of preserve...


Bah! Who am I kidding. There will be more figs in July and I'll eat em all!!



PS: I wanted to try Keller's au torchon

 

[anneke]

BTW, how do you make Rhine cider jelly? And how does it fit on your plate?

 

[cape chef]

Anneke,

sorry if I confused you
it's not "Rhine" it's "Rhyne" cider jelly.

Rhyne cider is a hard cider made in Sonoma California, when you ask "how does it fit on my plate" do you mean literally or in composition?

I have never made kellers Torchon, but I would image it would be sublime

 

[cape chef]

PS,

Remember this thread?
http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/s...highlight=figs

and this one

http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/s...highlight=figs

 

[anneke]

:lips: I remember those threads...

Never heard of Rhyne cider.. I'm curious though. Can you suggest a substitute? Not sure it's so easy to find around here....

My question related to actual positioning of the jelly. Can you describe the plating?

 

[ziggy]

Oh! I'm so VERY jealous! Good figs are so hard to find! When I was growing up we had a tree in our yard and lived near a fig orchard so we had fresh figs all summer long....I've longed and missed them every summer since I left home over 15 years ago. I just planted a baby fig tree in my yard(one of the benefits of life in Arizona) and cannot wait to eventually have fruit again!

Enjoy and savor every bite!!

 

[kimmie]

I'm sorry for not having a tried and true recipe for either fig chutney or compote, Anneke. However, your own planned concoction of balsamic/honey/Port sounds absolutely divine!

Go without hesitation with Keller's Torchon. A couple of years ago (maybe 3), I took a few classes on how to prepare foie gras and this one is the very best.

Enjoy!

 

[athenaeus]

Anneke I do have a recipe for a preserve but I am not sure that will be appropriate for what you want it...

Have I told you that ancient greeks made dolmades with the leaves of fig-trees ?

 

[marmalady]

Found this in an old file -

Fresh Fig Preserves
Ingredients
4 pounds firm, ripe figs
4-1/2 pounds sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 lemons, sliced
A few pieces of whole stick cinnamon or ginger root (optional)

Instructions
Wash and peel figs; set aside. Combine sugar and lemon juice in large nonreactive saucepan; add enough water to dissolve sugar. Add figs and lemon slices; cook about 45 minutes (the cinnamon or ginger may be tied in a cheesecloth bag and cooked with figs for added flavor). Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Pack preserves into clean, hot jars, and seal immediately. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes for half-pints, 10 minutes for pints.

Makes 8 to 10 (6-ounce) jars.

Look here for a chutney recipe:
http://www.recipesource.com/side-dis...erry-fig1.html

 

[anneke]

..I made it. It didn't quite turn out. It's completely my fault: I couldn't decide if I wanted a compote or a chutney so it's neither. What a waste! i'll have to try again with one of the above recipes. Thanks; I'll keep 'em on file...