Ingredients:
1 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon
2 cups white wine vinegar
How to do it:
Place the herbs in a clean sterile jar and use a spoon to bruise them. Pour the vinegar over the tarragon and cover the jar tightly. Place the jar in a dark place at room temperature and allow the tarragon to steep in the vinegar. Shake the jar every few days and taste the vinegar after a week. If the flavor is not strong enough, allow to steep for another 1-3 weeks, checking the flavor weekly. When the flavor is to your liking, strain the vinegar into a different sterilized jar and cap tightly.
Also know as confiture aux figues, you can either can the preserves or use them make Fig Sweet Dough Pie. Use firm figs that are as ripe and unblemished as possible.
Ingredients:
3 pounds firm, ripe figs, about 9 cups
4 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or 1 slice lemon per pint
How to do it:
Wash the figs in cold water, removing any blemishes. Drain well, then wash again. Drain and remove the stems.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling while skimming off any yellow foam which forms on the surface. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 50 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pain to prevent scorching. If the mixture becomes too thick during cooking, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water. Toward the end of the 50 minutes, the mixture should become very thick and the large figs should be broken down to the consistency of a puree. Remove from heat and can as usual.
Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
2 cups corn oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to do it:
Beat eggs yolks in a large bowl with a metal whisk until frothy, about one minute. Slowly add 1 cup of oil, whisking until oil is incorporated before adding more. Whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the remaining 1 cup of oil. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Yield: 2 1/3 cup