H
ow can I incorporate summer fruits like firm apricots, cherries, and figs into savory dishes?
Simon, Bristol
When stone fruit is underripe, it often disappoints. Achieving the perfect moment for a peach or apricot is rare. Baker Dee Rettali suggests a solution: heat. “Baked apricots with capers work well, especially paired with rice or a chopped salad,” says Rettali, co-founder of Fortitude Bakehouse in London. The process is simple: cut the stone fruit in half, then roast them in the oven with a little water and oil until they become soft. Once cool, chop the fruit into small pieces and mix it with finely chopped gherkins, capers, sea salt, and black pepper.
Apricots can also be used in a Moroccan pastilla pie. “Cook them down, then layer with almonds and mint,” suggests Rettali. “It’s a fantastic dish for a dinner party.”
When it comes to cherries, try exploring eastern flavors with zaalouk, a type of aubergine salad. Rettali recommends preparing a dressing by blending sun-dried tomatoes, cherries, sweet paprika, and pepper. Char the aubergines, chop them, and cook with lemon juice, olive oil, and confit garlic until they reach a paste-like consistency. Fold in the cherry and tomato mix and enjoy it with feta cheese.
Chef and owner Joshua Overington from Mýse in Yorkshire suggests using figs in various dishes, such as with different proteins or in salads and preserves. At his restaurant, there is currently a pork-and-fig relish on the menu. As for home cooking, Overington’s favorite way to use figs is to roast halved figs with sweet onion, rosemary or sage, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil until they become caramelized and sticky. Figs leaves can also be utilized by using them to wrap fatty meats like duck or pork belly or making fig leaf tea and infused lemonade.
Of course, summer fruits work wonders in salads as well. Guardian contributor Ravinder Bhogal’s maftoul salad with rose water-infused watermelon or Ed Smith’s grilled peach salad from his book Crave featuring basil, olive oil, pistachios, and lemon juice served on burrata are both excellent options. Alternatively, turn an abundance of strawberries into a dressing by blending balsamic, basil, strawberries, salt, pepper, and a bit of hot water. This dressing can be mixed with couscous, quinoa, or Rettali’s preferred rye grain, along with chopped parsley. Rettali also recalls her mother making an egg salad with a raspberry and orange dressing, a delightfully retro combination.
Lastly, it’s wise to preserve some summer flavors for the colder months. Pickled gooseberries or blackberries pair well with mackerel, while cherries make a great addition to Christmas dishes. Rettali suggests removing the stones from cherries, soaking them in brine with port and bay leaves, and storing them in sterilized jars. They make for excellent gifts and are delicious when served with cold turkey.
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