27 June 2011

DRIED FIGS & MANDARINS IN HONEY WITH CREPES

These figs are superb. I like to serve them with yogurt or whipped cream, or for a luxurious dessert or weekend brunch they can be served alongside warm crepes, as below.

• 250g dried figs or figlets
• 3 tbsps liquid mild honey
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsps lemon juice
• 3 mandarins peeled and segmented

Melt the honey in the olive oil, water and lemon juice and add the figs. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the figs have plumped up. When cooled a little, add the mandarin segments. Serve warm.

CREPES WITH HONEY AND CREAMY YOGHURT

The consistency of the batter for crepes is quite thin. As one reader commented once, “It seems as if I am trying to fry milk.” Well, not exactly. It’s more like cream, as it must be if you’re going to run it around the hot pan. * 2 eggs * 200mls milk * 2 tsps runny floral honey * 1 tsp olive oil * 100g plain flour * pinch of salt * extra lightly flavoured olive oil for cooking * 1 cup creamy natural yoghurt * 4 tbsps honey

Put the eggs, milk, honey, olive oil, flour and salt in the food processor. Run the motor for about 30 seconds until the ingredients are well mixed. Allow this mixture to stand for half an hour. To cook the pancakes, heat an 18cm frying pan (I keep a special crepe pan for this that is never washed – it has developed a fabulous surface over the years and the crepes never stick) with a teaspoon of oil. Pour a generous tablespoon of the batter into the pan, swirl it round so that it spreads well and cook over a medium heat until the first side is golden. Turn over carefully and cook on the second side. Repeat, lightly greasing the pan as necessary, stacking the finished crepes so that they remain moist. Makes 10 –12. Serve two per person with yoghurt and an extra drizzle of honey. Wine match; late harvest riesling