By Sonoma County Master Gardener Gaius Robinson
Various types of vinegar can greatly enhance any cooks culinary experience. Used in place of simple red wine vinegar, it can take a salad dressing from average to extraordinary. Fruit-infused vinegars are available on most grocery store shelves. Some, such as Fig Balsamic Vinegar, are only found at the more specialty food stores. Since fig trees do well in most of the inland areas of Sonoma County, this vinegar is perfect to use in a Sonoma County-inspired salad.
The fig season is now winding down. With luck, the local figs will give us one last small harvest before the rainy autumn weather begins in earnest. If your figs are not as rich in flavor as they were a few weeks ago, this is a great use for them.
Use four fat figs (about 6 oz.), give them a whirl in a mini food processor, and spoon the mushy figs into 15 ounces of regular balsamic vinegar in an 8 ½ inch diameter pot. If you have figs with green skin, such as Kadota, use with white balsamic vinegar. Put on stove and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, sans lid. Turn off the stove and let liquid rest for 30 minutes. Strain contents through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth. Pour liquid into two sterile 8 oz. bottles with tight fitting lids. Keep one for yourself, and give the other as a gift! The fig vinegar will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks. The cooked fig “mush” left over in the strainer makes a great sticky marinade on baby back ribs or chicken. Just slather on the fig mush, let rest 30 minutes, and then grill the meat to your liking. This fig mush also gives a beef stew great zip, if added to the liquid and allowed to cook for more than an hour.
My favorite dressing is 2 parts fig vinegar to 1 part olive oil, with a dash of Dijon mustard. Shake until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. This simple dressing is perfect on a salad made with peeled, sliced Fuyu persimmons, avocado slices, sliced roasted chestnuts and greens of choice. It makes a festive and delicious salad for Thanksgiving or any special fall event.