White Figs, Manchego + Mozzarella with Raspberry Vinegar
It doesn’t bother me to spend hours and money preparing food for myself. In fact I love it. I cannot think of another activity that is more self-nurturing.
Cooking for one allows you to cater to your own personal whims and tastes, without the worries that come when you cook for others. You can eat exactly what you want, when you want and as much as you want.
A friend of mine who happens to be single told me he couldn’t be bothered cooking for himself. What is the point cooking for only one person? It saddens me to hear such a statement. Its as if he doesn’t feel worthy of a decent meal because he is alone. Life without a partner is hard enough, let alone living a life denying yourself the pleasures of good food. Personally, I could not imagine anything worse.
Even when I was single, I went to the trouble of preparing lavish dishes for myself and I ate ceremoniously at the dinning table every night. My pantry and fridge were always full with delicious foods waiting to be eaten at any given opportunity. Food gave me a sense of comfort, reassurance and security. It still does. Through cooking I discovered about myself and became a confident person. I guess in a way, cooking kept me busy, and kept my mind of my loveless life.
As much as I enjoy cooking for my partner, I think I get more pleasure cooking for myself. When he disappeared for a well deserved vacation to northern Australia last week I saw it as an opportunity to create without restriction. The following recipe is one I whizzed up then. It doesn’t require any cooking and is ready in minutes. This is a good example how easy it is to prepare a dish for yourself, minus the fuss. I am dedicating this recipe to my friend Greg, and wish to thank him for his kind words and support. A plate of high quality fruit and cheeses is definitely better than a life spent eating bland microwave meals and unhealthy junk.
Ingredients
15ml raspberry vinegar
15g sticky brown sugar
1 buffalo or cow mozzarella (about 250g)
Manchego cheese (or mild pecorino)
4 white figs
Tiny basil leaves
A handful lightly toasted pinenuts
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (peppery)
Method
Mix together the vinegar and brown sugar. Slice the mozzarella into thin slices. Use the mozzarella slices to cover the entire surface of a large plate. Using a vegetable peeler, shave slivers of manchego all over the mozzarella.
Halve the figs and place over the two cheeses in an attractive fashion. Scatter over basil leaves and pinenuts. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Finally, drizzle over with the raspberry vinegar and olive oil.
Serve with rocket leaves tossed with a fruity extra virgin olive oil, to contrast with the delicate nature of the mozzarella and figs.
Serves 1 lonely but brave hearted soul.
Note- Manchego is a Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk.
Cooking for one allows you to cater to your own personal whims and tastes, without the worries that come when you cook for others. You can eat exactly what you want, when you want and as much as you want.
A friend of mine who happens to be single told me he couldn’t be bothered cooking for himself. What is the point cooking for only one person? It saddens me to hear such a statement. Its as if he doesn’t feel worthy of a decent meal because he is alone. Life without a partner is hard enough, let alone living a life denying yourself the pleasures of good food. Personally, I could not imagine anything worse.
Even when I was single, I went to the trouble of preparing lavish dishes for myself and I ate ceremoniously at the dinning table every night. My pantry and fridge were always full with delicious foods waiting to be eaten at any given opportunity. Food gave me a sense of comfort, reassurance and security. It still does. Through cooking I discovered about myself and became a confident person. I guess in a way, cooking kept me busy, and kept my mind of my loveless life.
As much as I enjoy cooking for my partner, I think I get more pleasure cooking for myself. When he disappeared for a well deserved vacation to northern Australia last week I saw it as an opportunity to create without restriction. The following recipe is one I whizzed up then. It doesn’t require any cooking and is ready in minutes. This is a good example how easy it is to prepare a dish for yourself, minus the fuss. I am dedicating this recipe to my friend Greg, and wish to thank him for his kind words and support. A plate of high quality fruit and cheeses is definitely better than a life spent eating bland microwave meals and unhealthy junk.
Ingredients15ml raspberry vinegar
15g sticky brown sugar
1 buffalo or cow mozzarella (about 250g)
Manchego cheese (or mild pecorino)
4 white figs
Tiny basil leaves
A handful lightly toasted pinenuts
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (peppery)
Method
Mix together the vinegar and brown sugar. Slice the mozzarella into thin slices. Use the mozzarella slices to cover the entire surface of a large plate. Using a vegetable peeler, shave slivers of manchego all over the mozzarella.
Halve the figs and place over the two cheeses in an attractive fashion. Scatter over basil leaves and pinenuts. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Finally, drizzle over with the raspberry vinegar and olive oil.
Serve with rocket leaves tossed with a fruity extra virgin olive oil, to contrast with the delicate nature of the mozzarella and figs.
Serves 1 lonely but brave hearted soul.
Note- Manchego is a Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk.
