This, I think, is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. I’m sorry, but today I’m patting myself on the back for making one of the best ice-cream flavours ever. When I first tested out this recipe I think my eyes literally rolled back into my head when I had the first spoonful – it is totally off-the-hook bonkers delicious. Yes I know, I’m tooting my own horn but whatever, I’m totally giving myself a poppin’ today. Enough said….
The weather in Melbourne has turned, literally overnight. It feels like we have skipped Autumn and have gone straight into winter, what the hell? Another sign of the winter weather kicking in is everyone seems to be catching a cold and losing their manners. I have started a new job recently and because it’s in the city I’ve started catching public transport again. It has been a long time since I’ve caught public transport and I’m beginning to remember why I hated it so much… people are gross and I’m a germaphobe. I’m the person who carries the liquid disinfectant in her handbag and will reluctantly touch anything that a million other hands have been on, in fact I feel a little bit sick just thinking about it.
So if I was organised, I would have posted this recipe for St Patrick’s Day (because it’s green people, yes, just pointing out the obvious – just in case), but I wasn’t, so here it is today. Come to think of it, on the other hand you could actually say that I am super organised and getting you prepared for next year’s St Patrick’s Day. Up to you which way you want to look at it…glass half empty or glass half full…your choice.
Today we’re taking the fig to the Middle East people. Told you this little gem was versatile. This recipe was inspired by one of Nigella’s recipes for Arabian pancakes with Orange-Flower Syrup. I have mixed it up a little here and half the figs are cooked and half them are served fresh which I think adds a lovely lightness to the dish. You could serve this dish either as a dessert or for brunch. It may seem like there are a lot of components to this recipe but I promise you it’s dead simple.
Ok folks, continuing on our figustation, today I bring you this totally delectable recipe from Maggie Beer from her book Maggie’s Kitchen. You have to love the gorgeous Maggie; she’s the mother you would love to have if your own mother was a crap cook. There should be no excuses not to try this recipe, it is a super easy one-pot recipe and it tastes bloody delicious. So delicious in fact that The Dr literally licked his plate clean. What I love about this recipe is that you don’t even have to brown the chicken before you bake it in the oven for only 30mins! Yes, you heard, only 30mins! You could really impress with this recipe even on a weeknight. Go on then, get in the kitchen….
Today didn’t start off that awesome as I had to get a test done at the hospital (nothing serious!) and I have a phobia of needles, but I was well rewarded when I visited my dad afterwards and received a lovely package of delicious purple figs that he had bought from his grocer. They had been picked straight from the garden of the grocer’s father, really folks, unless you picked these yourself…could it get any better?
I adore figs in every way shape and form. I love how they are so versatile and can be eaten as a savoury or sweet dish. I inherited my obsession with figs from my Mediterranean dad who was well into them way before they became fashionable on the food scene. I do remember though when I was a kid, I had a weird way of eating them. For some reason I wasn’t digging the texture of the skin and would just tear them in half, eat the sweet jammy insides and throw the skins away. My dad would throw his arms up in disgust at this fig crime I was committing. But now, things have changed, and my dad would be proud, I eat those things skin and all.