Soaking dried fruits in vinegars concentrates their flavor and softens the fruit. Pickled fruits are great tossed in salads or served with creamy cashew cheese. For a delicious variation, try using dried apricots and white balsamic.
To cook the figs, in small sauce pan, add all ingredients.
Using medium heat, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Allow to pickle for approximately 2 hours at room temperature.
Note: To speed up the process, you can heat the vinegar and simmer the figs for a few minutes to help them to absorb the balsamic vinegar.
If you want to keep this dish raw, plan ahead and soak figs in the balsamic vinegar and other ingredients in a small bowl for at least a day at room temperature. This will allow them ample time to pickle.
The figs will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator.