Fig Glazed Ham With Dried Fruit Compote Recipes

FIG GLAZED SPIRAL BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the ham in a deep roasting pan on top of a rack. Pour in about 1 1/2 cups water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the top of the ham and the roasting pan first with parchment paper and then with another layer of aluminum.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes - 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your ham. The internal temperature of the ham should reach 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. The ham is already cooked and does not need to reach a higher temperature.
• Meanwhile, prepare the glaze for the ham.
• In a small-medium saucepan, heat the butter or oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium low heat, seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste, until the shallots are tender.
• Add the fig preserves, the balsamic vinegar, thyme and water. Mix to combine and simmer for another 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.
• I like to take the time to blend all of this in a blender or use an immersion blender to get a smooth consistency. This way, when you brush the glaze over the ham, you won't have bits of shallot all over it. If the glaze is too thick, thin it out with a bit more water.
• When the ham has reached an internal temperature of 100 - 110 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the oven, uncover it, and brush it evenly with the glaze.
• Increase the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Return the glazed ham to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the glaze has caramelized a bit.
• Remove from the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with the remaining Fig Glaze.

WARM WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer an additional 35 minutes or until liquid is reduced to desired consistency. Serve warm with turkey or pork.
• Recipe note: Compote may be made ahead of serving time. Cover and store in refrigerator. Reheat to a simmer for 10 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary, if desired.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine all of the dried fruit and add enough hot water to cover by an inch. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain the mixture.
• In a saucepan combine the fruit with the sugar, the lemon and orange zests, the lemon juice, and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the fruit is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and let the compote cool. The compote will keep for a week if covered and chilled. Serve the compote at room temperature with ice cream.

SWEET DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups of the water with the dried fruit in a large bowl. Let soak for 1 hour.
• In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of water, orange juice, sugar, and lemon zest over medium-high heat. Add the fruit and the soaking liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cinnamon and clove. Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Serve warm or cold.
• Cook's Note: If using store bought dried fruit, chop the pieces into 1/2-inch chunks and simmer the mixture an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

MONTRACHET CHEESECAKE WITH WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the crust until light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the crest and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. When the pan is cool enough to handle, brush the sides with melted butter. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the goal cheese and cream cheese until very smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Two at a time, add the eggs, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Prepare a water bath: Place the springform pan on a doublelayer sheet of aluminum foil, with at least 3 inches of foil all around the pan. Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the pan. Fill a roasting pall large enough to hold the cake pan with hot water to a depth of about 1 inch. Then lift the foilwrapped cake into the roasting pan, keeping the foil turned up so that it prevents wafer from overflowing or seeping into the cake. Be careful not to make any holes in the foil as you do this! Bake about 1 hour, until the top of the cake is golden and dry to the touch, though still a bit soft in the center. It should "shimmy" a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools. Lift the foil up to remove the cake from the water bath, remove the foil, and let cool 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with compote.
• Make the compote: combine 'all of the ingredients in a mediumsize saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir, and reduce the heat so that the mixture is barely simmering. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn (fit the heat, cover, and set aside to soften and infuse. I1' not using within a few hours, refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the walls of the pan and, if desired, reheat the compote. Serve in wedges, with compote spooned around the sides.

FIG GLAZED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Trim the ham by removing the outer skin/rind, leaving a 1/4-inch of fat. Score the fat layer with a paring knife in a diamond pattern.
• Put the ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan or large baking dish. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile make the glaze by whisking all of the remaining ingredients together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring often, to infuse flavors and to thin the preserves, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the glaze.
• Remove the foil after the ham has cooked for 1 hour and brush it with the glaze, working it into the scores. Bake the ham, uncovered, another 40 minutes, basting again after 10 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven when an internal temperature of 140 degrees F is reached on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the ham to carving board and it let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Skim off as much of the fat as possible and then whisk in the reserved 1/4 cup of glaze. Bring the pan to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the desired consistency is reached. Strain into a warmed gravy dish for a smooth sauce, if desired. Thinly slice the ham and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with the gravy on the side.

DRIED FIG, APRICOT AND CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cups water, sugar and cinnamon sticks in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add figs and simmer uncovered 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in apricots, cherries and then brandy. Return to heat and simmer uncovered until all fruits are tender but still retain shape, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in crystallized ginger. Cool. (Compote can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve at room temperature or chilled.