An organic rabbit pie from my favorite shop;
Fig, Pancetta & Blue Cheese Salad;
Australian Open Men's Finals on television;
And a chilly glass of the local sauvignon blanc.
Love the end of summer.
Fig, Pancetta & Blue Cheese Salad
For the salad, crisp the pancetta with a bit of olive oil, either in a frying pan with a bit or on a baking sheet under the grill/broiler. Slice figs in halve or quarters, depending upon how big they are. Place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, cut side up. Top with dabs of butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Grill/broil until the sugar carmelizes.
For the dressing, mince a shallot and combine with sherry vinegar, salt and black pepper. If you have the time to let this mixture macerate, all the better. Add a bit of crumbled blue cheese, some drippings from the fig pan (there should be plenty of buttery, sugary, figgy liquid) and a bit of olive oil. I always mix my dressing up in a glass jar with a tightly-fitting lid. Shake, shake, shake, taste for seasoning by dipping in a leaf of rocket, and adjust as necessary. Pour over the rocket, sprinkle with blue cheese, top with lightly crumbled pancetta and adorn with figs.
Beautiful.
Please tell me you haven't got your children so well trained that they eat this. Salad sounds excellent 7 I'll definitely give it a whirl - but I NEED children or at least family friendly inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteJane, you'll be relieved to know that the boys had carrot sticks and corn on the cob with their pies! They are down with the rabbit (I think it appeals to their grizzly natures), but WB won't tolerate salad leaves. DB will, but spat the fig back out into my hand. Still, he is a boy after my own heart, his last words to me at bedtime being, "I love bacon!" He really is his mother's son. I will post something more kid friendly this week. Probably including bacon!
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