Thanks and thanks for the point--appreciate it.
Be sure to post your smoke. It sounds good. And please include the recipe for the balsamic jam--I've never heard of it before and I love most things balsamic.
Gary
Gary, A copy of the jam that I make, along with some notes, is below.
Fig, Shallot, and Balsamic Jam (Rev.)
1 tablespoon EVOO
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 lbs. fresh figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, tied into a sachet
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
To a small sauté pan, add the oil and warm. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until they are softened and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and repeat, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
Combine the figs, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and a sachet in a large saucepan, and bring to a mild simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and cook, stirring to break up the large pieces of fig, keeping a somewhat chunky consistency, until the jam reaches a thickened and syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
Remove the peppercorn sachet and stir in the shallot, garlic, and ginger mixture, as well as the lemon juice, to taste. Spoon the jam into a canning jar or other storage container, cover, and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Notes:
- Fresh figs are always preferable, but they have a short season and are not always available, and when they are, the price may be prohibitive. Dried figs, rehydrated, are a fine substitute. To rehydrate and plump up the dried figs, I soak them for 3-4 hours in Ruby Port (or another red wine), Marsala, or Brandy, depending upon my mood and taste at the time.
- The balsamic vinegar called for in this recipe is not meant to be real authentic and traditional balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale), which never is used as a cooking ingredient. Fake or imitation balsamic, available in most supermarkets, is fine as long as it’s a high quality selection.
- If I want to “Perk” up the heat a bit, I add a stemmed, seeded, and minced canned chipotle with 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce to the shallot, garlic, and ginger mixture.