I love Italian food. It's so different from Indian food, and I love them both equally. Indian food is full of many different spices and done well, you can taste the layers of spices in the food. The earthy cumin, to the spicy chilli powder, to the fragrant coriander. Italian food I feel is the opposite, no spices but simple and good quality ingredients.
Now because the quality of the ingredients is vital in Italian cooking, instead of popping down my local supermarket to pick up my groceries I went to Whole Foods.
For starters I made a figs, mozzarella and basil salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing. It was simple and glorious. Usually when I cook from a recipe, I sometimes adapt it and make it my own, but I felt I had to commit to the recipes in this book because they are quite precise. And I (and my guests) were glad I did. Now I know there isn't much to adapt in this particular recipe, but I'm just saying that committing to a recipe is worth it.
This is a great starter. Light, tasty, and oh so delicious. I highly recommend buying good quality ingredients for this, it really pays off. So here it is for you to try.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
8 figs. (They should be slightly soft, so they give to pressure)
A big ball of good Mozzarella
A big handful of fresh basil
Maldon sea salt and pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Wash the figs and cut the top of the stem. Cut each fig through its stem in half and then into quarters. Pick the basil leaves off the stalks and then wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Tear the mozzarella into halves and then quarters.
Place the figs and mozzarella pieces on to individual serving plates. Scatter the basil leaves over and season with salt and pepper.
Mix the lemon juice with three times its volume of extra virgin olive oil. Season. Pour over each plate and serve immediately.
Seriously good stuff.
This recipe is taken from River Cafe Cook Book Green, by Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers.
No comments:
Post a Comment