Figs 6 ways

This is a no photo blog, because I was so busy presenting it at the office in makeshift kitchen conditions, I didn't even think of taking photos.  We have an office lunch for everyone's birthday, normally take-away from one of the many restaurants in Crows Nest.  This was a 60th and I wanted to cook for it instead.  Richard chose the main course, which was a barbequed quail in a fig bath dish from a Maggie Beer cookbook resident in the office.  I took this on board to present a menu based on fig over 3 courses.  It was enhanced by a lovely tablecloth, table settings, and some freshly picked sage as the greenery.  The menu?

A tasting platter with:

• black figs wrapped in prosciutto
• sauteed prawns with a hint of garlic (they were delish)
• pan fried asparagus with slivered almonds
• slow cooked roma tomatoes
• balsamic figs topped with goats cheese
• pizza slices with leeks caramelized in burnt fig jam with gorgonzola cheese (these were adventurous and amazing)
• Labna with fig & fennel paste served in filo cases (surprisingly good)

Mains
Barbequed quail in a fig bath, with freekah salada with preserved lemon, fig paste and mint

Dessert
spiced figs and almonds topped with vanilla marscarpone


Not sure I would do it all again, but with figs in season, it was a lovely lunch.  Happy 60th Richard, and no leftovers - it was all gone by the end of lunch!

Cooking in reverse

Am I the only person who has not only not read "The Da Vinci Code" and also cannot work out how to use Blogger? I have just uploaded photos for this post, and the browser posted them in reverse! So we have a cooking explanation in reverse. You have here a Hollandaise Sauce just about perfect. And in a few minutes of inattention, it split, but strangely, I didn't get a photo of that.




I chose the recipe because I had all the ingredients on hand, unsalted butter, eggs and lemon juice.

If I could edit this program better, I would delete the photo following!

And just use the one below, showing the cookbook. I can't recall which op shop I bought it in, but it is a 1973 publication and it actually has some good home cooking in it. There will be more cooking from it.

And, right at the start of the photos, that is the end of the blog. Sigh, shall have to revert to "Blogger for Dummies".