Ancient & Noble Fruits are In Season

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In Season for February

Delicate and sweetly sensual, the fig is now in season; its arrival is one of the great pleasures of the long hot summer. Figs and grapes are considered to be ancient noble fruits. Most of the varieties grown locally in most gardens including my own, are the common green skinned variety, but there are also purple skinned varieties.

Once ripened the fig is extremely perishable and best consumed straight away or stored at the most for two to three days in the fridge.

Figs make a great salad when teamed with rocket leaves, torn basil and buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with a little aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. They also make wonderful accompaniments to many cheeses, poultry, and cured pork. They are also beautiful served as a dessert.

But today I am using the noble fruit in a beautiful salad.

Salad of Fig, Manchego Cheese & Walnuts, served with a Grape Dressing

Serves 6

Ingredients

110 g walnuts lightly roasted

100 g rocket

6 figs torn into chunks

120 g Manchego cheese, shaved

Dressing

½ tablespoons honey

1½ tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

2 shallots finely chopped

80 ml walnut or olive oil

200 g red or black grapes cut in half

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method

For the dressing; whisk the honey, vinegar, chopped shallots and oil in a bowl to combine, then add the grapes and season to taste.

To assemble; toss the figs, rocket and walnuts together, then divide among the plates, and drizzle with the grape dressing, then scatter the Manchego cheese shavings over the top of each salad.

Also in season:

Fruits:

Avocado, bananas, Blackberries, figs, grapes, guavas, kiwifruit, lychees, mangoes, honeydew melons, rock melons, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelon

Vegetables:

Beans, Borlotti beans, butter beans, capsicum, celery, chillies, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, radishes, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini

Herbs & Spices:

Basil, Chervil, Rocket,  Tarragon, Young ginger,

Fish & Meat:

Calamari, Sardines, Veal

A bitterly cold day-Delicate moreish little balls of meat & A good bottle of wine

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Cheese, Chefs, Cooks, Entertainment, food and drink, Food Blogs, Herbs, ingredients, Meatballs, Mince, Pancetta, Parmesan, Pork, S.A. Food Blogs, Tomato sauce, Veal, wine

Busy day and it is bitterly cold, I have barely ten minutes before the butcher closes. Dashing in I join the end of a long queue, but at least it gives me time to cast my eye over the long display counter to pick out what I want. I want something that can simmer and putter its way to perfect tenderness. The veal and pork mince conjures up images of delicate meat balls cooking slowly in a rich, mouth mopping tomato sauce; I ask the butcher to provide me with a fine mince of equal proportions of both veal and pork. I head for home and the welcome warmth of the kitchen, to quickly prepare the meal and then to sit back and enjoy the company of good friends for an hour in front of the warmth of the fire while the food slowly takes care of itself as it gently bubbles away, releasing the most gorgeous mouth watering fragrance into the air as it cooks.

Veal & Pork Meatballs

These are the most delicate, moreish little balls of meat that will have you licking your fingers and mopping the juices until nothing but a clean plate is left. A perfect dish for family and good friends.

Serves 4

Ingredients

250 g minced veal

250 g minced pork

1 large egg

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

60 g grated Parmesan cheese

1 slice of day old bread, soaked in a little milk, then squeezed dry

60 g finely diced pancetta

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

The Cooking sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion finely diced

2 tablespoons tomato puree

½ tsp. castor sugar

Water, sufficient

Method

Place all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix together gently but thoroughly. Shape into 12 even size balls, and then flatten slightly into oval shapes about 1 cm thick.

Place the olive oil in a heated pan and gently fry the meatballs until well browned on each side and then transfer to a casserole or suitable ovenproof dish.

In the same frying pan add the onion, tomato puree, sugar and 100ml water, stir well and cook for about 5-10 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs, add some water, the water should almost cover them. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.

You can serve the saucy meatballs with ribbon pasta, rice or just hunks of crisp bread.