FRESH BITES
Discover why the backyards of many Toronto-Italian families have a sprawling fig tree,
As a kid, Julian Sarraino remembers being curious about the weird fruit his father and grandfather ate while visiting family in Sicily.
“Once I started eating them, I thought, ‘Wow, this is really good, not too sweet and with a great texture,’ ” says Sarraino, vice-president of marketing for Fresh Taste at the Ontario Food Terminal.
Depending on the season, the familyrun importing company sells green and black figs from Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, California and Mexico. They’re so fragile, most arrive by air.
The backyards of many Italian families have a sprawling fig tree with wide leaves. The fruits sprout like little balloons from the ends of branches, and may produce a single drop of nectar when perfectly ripe.
Rob Gentile, chef-owner of a trio of Buca restaurants, says eating a voluptuous fig straight from the tree is an incredible experience.
“You should eat it sitting down,” Gentile says, “and reflect on how good it is.”
While he says finding a truly delicious fig in Toronto can be frustrating, that doesn’t stop him from cooking with them. He poaches the fresh fruit in sugar syrup with grappa and espresso for his brunch menus, and insists that figs, pork blood and chocolate, a regional Italian specialty, make a “heavenly” combination.
At the world Expo in Milan last month, I asked Michelin-starred chef Matteo Vigotti of Peck for his favourite fig dish. He enthusiastically described his warm fig ravioli, perfumed with a few drops of Ligurian olive oil and traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena and served with sliced prosciutto di Parma. He also makes a tarte tatin of caramelized figs scented with cardamom dust.
But don’t think figs need to be complicated. Sarraino’s favourite snack is a bagel or slice of toast smeared with cream cheese and topped with mashed fig halves. Easy and delicious.
Figs by the numbers
More and more Canadians are discovering figs, says Karla Stockli, CEO of the California Fig Advisory Board. In 2014 we imported $15 million (4,010 tonnes) of fresh and dried California figs, $2.2 million more than 2013. Fibre-rich figs are also appearing on more menus, Stockli says, in dishes ranging from pizza to ice cream.
Buy and store
Turkish and Greek figs are winding down, but look for California sierra, brown turkey and Black Mission figs through November. Each variety has a different flavour.
Select plump, fragrant figs that have a little give when touched.
Figs that are mushy, misshapen or smell slightly sour are past their prime.
Eat as soon as possible or refrigerate in plastic for several days.
Prep
Wash, remove stem end and enjoy fresh figs skin and all.
Freeze whole, sliced or peeled figs on a baking sheet in a single layer then store in a freezer bag or sealed container up to a year. Serve
Add fresh figs, halved or quartered, to a fall salad of bitter greens. Cut up fresh figs over cereal or yogurt. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and sear fig halves in a hot skillet. Serve on toasted baguette slices with crumbled blue cheese and bacon.
Cut fig vertically almost to bottom, add a dab of blue cheese, encircle with prosciutto, skewer and sear until cheese melts and meat crisps.
Garnish a wooden board of authentic Italian cured meats with fresh fig halves.
Think fig salsa, sauce, chutney, jam and euro-style tarts.
Poach figs in sugar syrup for 10 minutes; let cool in syrup. They’re amazing with ice cream.
Substitute figs in traditional peach and pear recipes.
Simmer dried figs with other dried fruits for a delicious breakfast compote.