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So how do you feel about figs? A little different, right?
Iโm not really sure if figs are a popular fruit, or one of those fruits that totally get ignored. I am thinking ignored??
Up until a few months ago I was completely scared of them. I pretty much just thought they were creepy, and to be honest, I only thought about them around Christmas. Yes, I used to only associates figs with figgy pudding.
Oh, and I have to admit, I did just listen to โWe Wish You a Merry Christmasโ just to make sure thatโs the โfiggy puddingโ song. Ok, and I kind of wanted a little Christmas cheer mid summer. Donโt hate me.
A while back (like early spring) I accidentally bought dried figs. Well, it was not actually me, it was my dad who was helping me out and doing a late night grocery run for me. I asked for dates and he brought me back figs. UGH. I was like, โwhat am I supposed to do with dried figs? Eewโ. I really had no idea, but I figured since I had them I might as well try them.
At first I was turned off by their texture, but then for some reason I tried another one and the figs began to grow on me. I canโt say I would ever choose figs as snack all on their own, but I realized I did like them.
Fast forward to the present. The other day I was trying to get my creative juices flowing, and suddenly the thought of a fig dish really excited me.
Itโs weird how I can be completely uninterested in a certain food one day and the next be all โOh I really want to make a fig dish todayโ. ย Figs are a late summer through fall fruit, so they should be in stores now or coming to your stores soon. I however, had to drive around to three stores, finally ending up at Whole Foods where they fortunately, had the most gorgeous turkish figs. I spent all morning trying to find them, but it was worth it. Plus, I do feel lucky that I actually found them and that my small town recently put in a Whole Foods. I love the whole โsmall townโ thing, but I gotta say, sometimes Whole Foods saves the day.
Iย really wanted to create an easy meal that people who may not even like figs could enjoy. See, figs to my family are like kale to aย five-year old. They want nothing to do with them. But me being me, I really wanted to prove them wrong. I went with my little fig idea and paired it with two of their favorites, polenta and tomatoes. Itโs honestly the perfect little Italian meal. You can make it now โ in the summer, but itโs also a great transition meal into fall. Perfect way to use up the last of your home-grown cherry tomatoes. YUM.
I went with pork for this dish because I really just wanted to step away from the chicken for a second and be a little bold. And balsamic fig glazed pork just had a nice ring to it, so I went with it. I am all about recipe names having a nice ring to them. Feel free to use chicken, steak or even beans (chickpeas or cannellini) for a vegetarian version.
The tomatoes came into play because I had so many of them, and blistered tomatoes sounded like a pretty good idea with sweet balsamic.
The polenta is kind of predictable for me, but I really just love polenta. Sorry, I canโt help it.
Oh and the gorgonzola. It just has so much flavor and I love pairing it with sweet and savory things. Itโs the perfect balance.
Ifย you are not a fan of gorgonzola swap parmesan, goat cheese or fontina. If figs are just not your cup of tea you can either leave them out completely or swap peaches, nectarines or cherries. You just want something sweet that can stand up to some heat.
If you are not sure how you feel about figs, just give them a try in this dish. I think you will be surprised. My picky family loved them, wellโฆ at least my parents loved them. The boys werenโt home, but even if they were home, I doubt I would have been able to coax them into trying them. Althoughโฆ the figs really blend in well with the pork. The balsamic glaze makes it really difficult to differentiate the pork from the figs. My parents didnโt even realize there were figs in there until I told them mid-way through the meal.ย Hmmm, maybe I could have gotten away with it!
Balsamic Fig Glazed Pork w/Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 8-10 fresh figs, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated, divided
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound pork tenderloin or pork chops, sliced thin
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, or however many will fit in your skillet
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley + 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- Toasted pine nuts, for serving
Polenta
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (may sub parmesan)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To make the polenta. Pour the water and milk into a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep warm and then just before serving, stir in the gorgonzola cheese and butter, season with salt and pepper. If the polenta seems a little thick you can add a tablespoon more of butter or milk.
- While the polenta is cooking make the pork. In a glass measuring cup mix together the balsamic vinegar, honey and water. Finely chop 2-3 whole figs, they should form a paste once finely chopped. Add the chopped figs and 1 clove minced garlic to the balsamic mixture. Slice the remaining figs in half.
- Heat a very large skillet over high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the skillet is hot, but not smoking (if it starts to smoke, turn heat down a bit and wait 5 minutes before adding the pork) add the pork in a single layer (you may need to do this in 2 batches if your skillet is smaller) and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes, so it can get a nice caramelization on it. Then toss it around and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the pork is browned and just getting crispy on the edges. Once the pork is cooked, pour in all but 1/4 cup of the the balsamic fig mixture. Allow the sauce to simmer until it coats the pork, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the basil and oregano. Remove the pork from the skillet to a plate.
- Place the skillet back on the burner over high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the skillet is hot again, add the figs cut side down and sear 1 minute. Pour the remaining balsamic fig sauce over the figs and simmer 2 minutes (don't flip the figs, just leave them cut side down). Slide the figs to one side and add the pork back to the skillet. Keep warm.
- Grab a heavy cast iron skillet and place it over high heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with olive oil. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 15 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss them with garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes without stirring for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes toss the tomatoes and cook another minute more or until the tomatoes are blistered. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley.
- To serve, divide the polenta among plate or bowls. Toss with balsamic pork and a few figs. Add the blistered cherry tomatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs, gorgonzola cheese and toasted pine nuts. Eat!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Balsamic glazed pork and figs, aside blistered cherry tomatoes and creamy gorgonzola polenta, all topped with pine nuts. See, different can be good!
First of all, I almost never write reviews on recipes AND my husband and I are not huge fig people (as in we have never eaten them before in our lives) but this was DELICIOUS! The sauce made the pork perfectly tart, sweet, and fruity. We made the polenta using parmesean cheese and it was so good. Tiegan Gerard has already become a favorite in our home as we bought her Super Simple Cookbook and her Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala is one of our go-tos. Thinking this will become one as well!
Hey Eli,
Happy Friday!๐ Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, Iโm so glad it was enjoyed!
Delicious!! These flavors are so good together, this is legit one of the best meals I think I’ve made. A keeper for sure!
Hey Catherine,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a try! Xx
This. Was. Amazing! I’ve NEVER written a review on any recipe I’ve tried. This one was so good I had to say something. I didn’t have figs (couldn’t find them), so I added in fig jam to the sauce. The flavor combo impressed both my husband and I – he said it was like eating in a fancy restaurant! My mouth is watering thinking about leftovers tonight…..
Wow thank you so so much Kathy! Love to hear this ๐ xT
Please have you and your family members cholesterol/lipid levels checked. Love you recipes but they are not health promoting. If you are eating like this daily, it is a health crisis waiting to happen. No malice, just want to help you and others prevent chronic disease which stem from a diet high in fats, and low in fruits/veges. I believe you can easily adjust recipes to make the meals healthier, and I think you owe that to your followers!!
Thank you!
Why donโt you adjust the recipes to fit your own health concerns. Go comment on all fast food chains and ask them to adjust their recipes. Teighan is the GOAT!
We look forward to making this dish every year with our fig harvest. Itโs amazing, and all the flavors and ingredients are wonderful and taste so gourmet! Your pictures are always amazing too. Thank you!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! ๐๐๐ซ I am thrilled to hear that this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks so much for making it so often and your comment! xT
Hi Tieghan, made this last night…… delicious!!!!
Im in Australia so figs are out of season at the moment so used dried figs. Had goats cheese in the fridge so substituted the gorgonzola… So good. Will definitely we on the repeat list. Thank you for all your great recipes and LOVE your Instagram reels.
Cheers from Oz
XXX
Hey Karyn,
Amazing!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback:)
Yum! Any suggestions on how to make it with pork tenderloin in the crockpot after searing?
Hey Lauren, I’m so sorry haven’t ever tried that before so I’m not sure! xT
Hey! Trying this tonight! When you saw pork chops sliced thinโฆshould I just tenderize until thin? Or do you actually slice thin pieces from the chop or tenderloin before cooking? If so, how thin? Thanks!!! Love ALL your recipes.
Hey Nicole,
You will want to slice thin as if you were cutting chicken, if that makes more sense! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I tried it and it was a hit! I cut the tenderloin into medallion pieces, as with 6 minutes on high heat and then leaving in the pan to warm, I didnโt want to overcook the pork. It was the right move! If I had sliced much thinner, it would have been over cooked. The polenta was amazing, too.
Hey Nicole,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
Made this tonight with venison instead of pork and it was amazing. The sauce is easy and packed with flavors. Two thumbs up from my family.
Hey Shelley,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
Oh!
This was the best!
Family saying please save this one!
It was so good!!
I substituted the fig with dates as I didnโt have any and the verdict was this was the best meal you ever you have made!
Thanks So much!
Family raving about this one and you have such a way of combining flavours that just melt in your mouth!
Hi Suzi! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it! ๐ xTieghan
This was delicious and exactly what I needed to use pantry ingredients before they went off.
I subbed chicken breast for the pork, used the cherry tomatoes and herbs from my raised beds and fresh figs I almost forgot to use. The sauce did a great job of helping me cover up the fact that some of the figs were a tad mature. I used feta instead of Gorgonzola. It was easy and delicious.
Hey Deb,
Happy Wednesday! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it:) Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. xTieghan
This dish was amazing! I could not find fresh figs so I grabbed fig sauce from the cheese section, added balsamic and water to it to create an AMAZING sauce!
Also, I made the polenta in my instant pot (added water, salt and polenta, cooked for 10 minutes on the oatmeal setting) then finished it off with the cheese. This is the only way Ill make polenta from now on. It was soooooooo easy.
This dish was delish!!!!
Hey Nan,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Itโs getting a little rough writing these 5 star reviews, Tieghan. I made this recipe tonight, and because I was worried people would be skeptical, I didnโt say anything about the figs. It was a blast to watch as one by one everyone tried it, my parents, my husband, and each exclaimed, โFigs? I donโt think Iโve ever had fresh figs. This is amazing!โ Once again, the depth of flavors was stellar. Iโm not sure I wouldโve ever thought of figs with tomatoes and Gorgonzola polenta. Honestly, this was one of the best things Iโve made in ages. Another HBH huge hit!
Wow yes!! I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you all, Josie! Thank you so much! xTieghan
i made this tonight and it was legit the best thing I’ve made in a long time. so delicious!!
one question (bc I’ll definitely be making this again w the copious amount of figs from our tree) — when you take the pork out to cook the figs do you remove all the sauce too or do you drizzle the olive oil into the sauce to carmelize the figs? i took it out but i wasn’t sure.
Hey Stephanie,
I like to remove the sauce with the pork:) Thanks for much for giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
This was my first time using figs and my family was skeptical. Everyone LOVED this recipe! Absolutely amazing!!
YES!! So glad you decided to try this one and it turned out so well for you, Meredith! Thank you! xTieghan
Husband does not like polenta,is this will be good with mashed potatoes?
This would be super yummy with mashed potatoes! xT
I made this last night and had to use dried figs because fresh figs were no where to be found. Do you have any other suggestions?
Hi Marine,
You can always use dried dates dried apricots in place of the figs. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan