Known since Antiquity for its therapeutic and nutritional properties, the fig continues to hide its secrets beneath a beautiful, soft, and fleshy skin. Let’s not deprive ourselves of it!
On Cours Saleya, the delicious figs from Gisèle…
A bit of history
Greek athletes made it the basis of their diet during the Olympic period, and the Romans used to stuff their geese with them to produce exceptional foie gras! In France, Louis XIV savored it fresh, thanks to plantings created by his gardener in the town of Argenteuil. Today, we continue to indulge in it for pleasure, and great chefs love to feature it on their menus.
I love this fruit where everything is edible: skin, pulp, seed. The main production is based in Var, famous for its Solliès fig, a Protected Designation of Origin since 2011. At the markets, they are black, green, violet, brown, red. The violet remains the sweetest and juiciest. The green has very thin skin. The black is drier.
It’s good for your health!
With 57kcal/100g, the fresh fig (25g on average) is no more caloric than a plum or an apple. The dried fig is much more, with 250kcal/100g.
Very rich in minerals, essential for dietary balance, it is also a good source of trace elements, mainly iron, and contains an interesting amount of B vitamins and vitamin P, protective of small blood vessels. Rich in fiber, it is very effective for stimulating the intestines, just like prunes…
How to buy it well
Choose a healthy and fleshy fruit, soft to the touch, ready to bite! A white drop (milky sap) dripping from its base is a sign of freshness.
… Thérèse also offers the tasty fruit.
How to store it well
Fresh figs spoil very quickly and should be consumed immediately after purchase. They can, if necessary, finish ripening in a fruit bowl but must be kept away from the refrigerator which mutes their aroma. Dried figs can be stored for several months in an airtight container.
How to consume it well
As a table fruit, perfectly ripe, it melts in the mouth like honey, but it can be enjoyed just as well as an appetizer, with fresh goat cheese or Parma ham.
Feel free to use them in tarts, clafoutis, gratins, or even poach or roast them in the oven.
Ready for anything, it is served as both a dessert and a side to poultry. It accompanies us all year round in the form of jams or fermented drinks. Dried, it can be enjoyed as is or stuffed, and it slips into compotes and wine dishes.
The recipe: “Figs and Sweet Onion Stew from Haut Var, Chicken Jus with Verbena” by Sébastien Broda, star chef of Park 45 in Cannes,
Click on the photo to view and download the recipe.
Bon appétit!
Find more recipes on the blog Mikuy by Anne Sallé
