Spiced Figs w/ Grilled Chicken & Arugula Salad

Since I have an abundance of figs right now, I am trying to eat them daily, which isn't hard for me to do.

This is a wonderful recipe for spiced figs.
You can use the spiced figs on pound cake, drizzled with the syrup, or in this delicious salad of bufala mozzarella, arugula, prosciutto and spiced figs.



The balsamic vinegar and red wine boils down to make a rich, spicy syrup that is out of this world.
I omitted the star anise, because I couldn't find any.



Spiced Figs w/ Grilled Chicken & Bufala Mozzarella Salad (adapted from Delicious Magazine)

for the Spiced Figs:

1 cup of sugar
1.5 cups of dry red wine
1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods
6 peppercorns
2 star anise
1" piece of ginger, sliced
4 lemon slices
10 ripe figs (I used green and black mission figs)

Place all ingredients (except figs) in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the figs and simmer for 3 minutes until figs soften slightly.



Remove figs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a glass bowl or glass storage container.

Continue simmering the liquid for another 5 minutes or so until syrup is starting to thicken.
Pour over the figs and let cool completely.



for the Salad:

4 grilled chicken breasts
torn pieces of bufala fresh mozzarella
2 cups of fresh arugula
4 prosciutto slices, torn into pieces

Take some figs out of the syrup and slice in half.
Arrange on a platter with the salad ingredients and drizzle the fig syrup over the salad.



Heavenly!