Vegetarian Recipe: Green Figs Poached in Mavrodaphne with Shaved Manouri Cheese

Every week on the Good Food Blog we celebrate Meatless Monday by sharing a vegetarian recipe from our archives.

Susanna Hoffman, author of The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking first shared this recipe for Green Figs Poached in Mavrodaphne with Shaved Manouri Cheese on August 21, 2004.

Keep reading for the full recipe...

Green Figs Poached in Mavrodaphne with Shaved Manouri Cheese

Serves 10 to 12

1 bottle Mavrodaphne or other sweet wine

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 bay leaves

2 pounds ripe but firm green figs

6 ozs Manoui cheese (Ricotta Salata is a good substitute)

Combine the wine, sugar, lemon juice, and bay leaves in a large nonreactive pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the figs, reduce the heat and simmer briskly until they puff out and are very soft, 15 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the figs to a large bowl. Discard the bay leaves. Continue simmering the liquid until it reaches the soft thread stage, 235 degrees on a candy thermometer, 20 minutes. Then stir the syrup into the figs. Allow to cool, then cover and chill thoroughly.

Spoon a few figs and some liquid into each dessert bowl. Serve with a slice of cheese to the side of each bowl.