African Vanielje on Sep 29 2007 at 5:20 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
In the bag is a foodblog event where the challenge is to cook something with whatever is in the bag. I love the idea of this monthly challenge as I am a great proponent of seasonal eating, which is just what the contents of the bag are supposed to be – something seasonal. This month it was a broad spectrum – seasonal fruit, hosted by Scott from Real Epicurean
Now we are lucky enough to have access to an organic kitchen garden and an orchard with an amazing array of delicious fruit, so I try to be as local and seasonal as possible. This can get a bit boring and a bit trying at times, and especially so this year with the awful excuse for summer we’ve had in Britain. I was speaking to our local apiarist earlier on today and she informed me that even the bees were not producing much in protest of the complete lack of summer.
Still, we had some good damsons, delicious (if not plentiful) plums, gorgeous pears and at least a handful of yummy figs. For my In the bag dish I’ve made the most of the figs, but have also allowed myself a bit of latitude by picking one of my favourite fruits from my home country of South Africa – the avocado pear.
It’s been a month where I’ve been playing catch-up from the start so I actually thought I’d run out of time to enter this event, and I nearly didn’t (enter it that is), then I thought hold on, not every meal in our house is a brilliant culinary concoction and I can’t just blog about those, so I chose instead a 2 minute salad of ripe figs and avocado pear, some Serrano ham and leaves from the garden, simply dressed with a little aged balsamic vinegar and a spritz of lemon juice, both of which liven up figs and avocado. Avocados are fairly rich so no need to add cheese, although if you do want to add some dairy go for a few thin shavings of Parmesan or Gran Padano. A slice of fresh crusty bread was all that was needed to complete this quick and simple lunch.
It may have been the quickest meal I put together this month, but it was also one of my highlights. The avocado was perfect, the figs sublime, I loved the Serrano ham and the whole salad just hit the spot. Unfortunately the figs are finished and the next two avos I had were not as delicious…so if I want to enjoy this seasonal salad again, I guess there’s always next year…
What a wonderful combination of ingredients. This salad sounds delicious.
Paz
thanks paz. it is one of my favourites. I love foodblogging events – you meet such great new bloggers
as always everything looks great. You always make me hungry..I need you to come visit and cook for me..
Wait..that wouldnt be much fo a vacation for you would it?
are you kidding Marye? I’d love to meet Huck & the gang! One day…
Our bees seem to go on strike when it’s too hot and dry, at least that was the reason last year when the price of honey went up. We host some hives here and get a percentage of the honey. Whenever we have a very hot day we have to remember to put a float in the dog’s water bowl or we get hundreds of drowned bees.
Love the fig and ham combination too.
kit you’re such a softy. My mom always used to put a ‘bridge’ into (or out of) dog bowls for any little waterlogged creatures.
this is pretty much a classic with a little variation – so absolutely delicious, basically. I’m too hungry for this time at night !