Fig Bars

 Move over fig newtons. These bars start with a cookie base, topped with a sweet jammy fig layer and topped with oatmeal crumble.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Base:

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

For the Fig Layer:

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup dried figs, chopped

For the Topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons cold butter

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 or 9 inch pan with cooking spray.

In small bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla until well combined. Add 1 cup flour until soft dough forms. Press into bottom of prepared pan. 

Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine water, 1/4 cup sugar and figs in small pan. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until nearly all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is jam-like in appearance.

Spread over the crust.

In small bowl, combine 1/4 cu flour, brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter with a pasty blender or fork until crumbly.

Stir in oats and walnuts. Sprinkle over jam layer.

Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

This recipe comes from Platter Talk.

Balsamic Cranberry Fig Compote

This recipe, which was published in The Denver Post, is a wonderful accompaniment to a holiday turkey or it is equally good when served as an appetizer with goat cheese on sliced a baguette.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 orange, zested and juicd
1 cup dried figs, stems removed and chopped
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
10 ounces fresh cranberries
2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt

Instructions

In large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in orange juice and figs. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cranberries. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally for 10 minutes or until cranberries start to burst. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, zest and salt. Cool completely.

Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Olives

This might be my new all time favorite recipe from the Simply Recipes blog.

Ingredients

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 Tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon caper juice
3/4 cup California green ripe olives, pitted and drained, halved
6 dried figs, quartered
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Combine red wine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved.
Add minced garlic, oregano, pepper, capers, caper juice, figs, olives and bay leaves.  Stir to combine.
Cut pork tenderloin in half crosswise. Place in plastic freezer bags. Pour marinade over top and coat well. Chill for 2 - 24 hours. The longer, the better.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade, wiping off any excess. Reserve the marinade.
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in large saute pan on high heat. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels. Place in hot pan and sear on all sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan and place in a baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour half cup of white wine into skillet to deglaze. Scrape up any browned bits. Add the marinade to the pan with the wine and bring to a full boil.
Pour the marinade over the pork. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoon brown sugar.
Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Slice the pork. Serve with pan sauce.

Pork Tenderloin with Fig and Mushroom Sauce

Figs are one of my very favorite foods and here in Colorado, we rarely see fresh figs. So, we have to make do with dried figs. Still, they add a depth of flavor of any dish. In this recipe, they blend well with the flavor of porcini and shitake mushrooms.

Ingredients

1/2 ounce dry porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, wiped clean and tough stems removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat and silver skin - about 1.5 pounds
1 large shallot
1 cup red wine
3 dried figs, stemmed and chopped
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Place porcini mushrooms in bowl and pour boiling broth over them. Let stand to soften, about 30 minutes.
Line a strainer with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and strain the  mushroom liquid through the filter and into a bowl or measuring cup. Squeeze mushrooms to extract any excess liquid.
Rinse the reconstituted mushrooms with cool water to remove any grit. Pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop.

In large skillet, heat one Tablespoon of olive oil and one Tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Place pork in pan and brown on all sides - about 3 - 4 minutes per side.
Place pork in baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees while preparing the sauce.
Heat 1/2 Tablespoon of oil and butter in medium skillet. Add shitake mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and are tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat remaining half Tablespoon of oil and half Tablespoon of butter in small saucepan. Add shallot and cooked until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and reserved mushroom liquid and chopped figs. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add wine reduction to skillet used to cook pork.  Bring to boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Stir in thyme.
Add chopped porcini mushrooms. Remove pan from heat and swirl in final one Tablespoon of butter.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cut pork into 1-inch thick slices. Return them to the pan with sauce to heat through. Divide pork among dinner plates. Spoon fig and mushroom sauce on top of the medallions. Top each with a spoonful of mushrooms.

This dish is excellent with baked sweet potatoes.