Fig and raisin 'cream'
1 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | ounces | Well-soaked dried figs |
| 4 | ounces | Stoned raisins |
| 1¼ | cup | Red wine (not to dry_ |
| Good pinch of ground black pepper | ||
| ⅓ | teaspoon | Ground cinnamon |
| ⅛ | teaspoon | Ground cloves |
| Soft dark brown sugar to taste | ||
| 3 | teaspoons | Rice flour or cornflour |
| A drop or two of red food colouring | ||
| Salt to taste | ||
Directions
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Drain the figs, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard the stalk ends of the fruit and put them in a saucepan with the raisins and wine.
Add the spices and a teaspoon of sugar and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and cool slightly, then turn the mixture into an electric blender and process until smooth. Add a little of the soaking water if the mixture is stubbornly solid. Cream the rice flour or cornflour with a little more soaking water or wine and brighten the tint with a drop of food colouring. Blend the 'cream' into the dried-fruit puree. Then return the whole mixture to the saucepan and simmer until it thickens slightly. Season with salt and a little extra sugar if you wish. The mixture can be served hot or cold over a sweet cereal dish, firm stewed fruit or - best of all- ice cream. Some versions in other manuscripts are stiffer and make a good filling for tartlets or fried puffs. One encloses the filling in pastry to make dumplings. from The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black Chapter 2, "Chaucer's Company" posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham Submitted By SHARON STEVENS On 04-19-95