And so we continue with the quick and easy treats of our New Year celebrations. This one's marginally more complicated than yesterday's one-ingredient-wonder, yet this one too only calls for 3 ingredients.
Not much of a recipe is even needed: I mean, it's just figs, ham and good mozzarella on a bed of rucola, drizzled with some good olive oil and finished with sprinkling of black pepper.
The thing is though, that the less and simpler ingredients are needed, the better quality they need to be as there's nothing to distract from them. Decent Mozzarella di Bufala can be found at just about any supermarket in Finland, as can prosciutto, but fig is a fickler matter altogether.
Though in season (and hence available just about everywhere), much like chestnuts they remain a mystery to me. I know, that there are fresh figs available out there, glorious in their ripe fleshy redness and just bursting with deep, fruity flavour. I know that, because I've had figs like that. Just never in Finland. The only figs we seem to get are always a bit bland with thick, leathery skin.
This time I didn't throw an embarrassingly massive tantrum though. I would imagine the Champagne helped...
Not much of a recipe is even needed: I mean, it's just figs, ham and good mozzarella on a bed of rucola, drizzled with some good olive oil and finished with sprinkling of black pepper.
The thing is though, that the less and simpler ingredients are needed, the better quality they need to be as there's nothing to distract from them. Decent Mozzarella di Bufala can be found at just about any supermarket in Finland, as can prosciutto, but fig is a fickler matter altogether.
Though in season (and hence available just about everywhere), much like chestnuts they remain a mystery to me. I know, that there are fresh figs available out there, glorious in their ripe fleshy redness and just bursting with deep, fruity flavour. I know that, because I've had figs like that. Just never in Finland. The only figs we seem to get are always a bit bland with thick, leathery skin.
This time I didn't throw an embarrassingly massive tantrum though. I would imagine the Champagne helped...
8 ripe, fresh figs
100 g prosciutto/ Parma ham, Serrano ham (nothing smoked though)
1 ball (125 g) Mozzarella d Bufala
to serve: salad leaves, toasted pine nuts (optional), black pepper
Dressing:
1/2 dl oil
1/2 tsp mustard (sweet variety)
1/2 tsp honey (if using Dijon or any stronger variety of mustard, some more)
Cut a cross-shape incision onto the top of each fig (careful not to cut all the way through though) and squeeze the bottom of the fig so they open up like flowers. Rest on the salad leaves. Cut the ham lengthwise in half. Drain mozzarella and tear into 8 pieces, scattering them into the figs along with the ham. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle on the figs. Scatter some freshly ground black pepper on top and, if you want, some pine nuts too.
Pretty as a picture. And on the table in less than five minutes!
Pretty as a picture. And on the table in less than five minutes!
ANYONE FOR SECONDS?
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