The devil, or so the expression goes, is in the details.
And that’s why the older I get, the less inclined I am to eat at restaurants. I want to know the details about what I’m eating – where the ingredients came from, what temperature the oven was set to, how the flavour combinations work.
The easiest way to achieve this is by cooking at home. I rarely find it tiresome – I’m more than happy to spend time fussing over something on the stove, or experimenting with a cake until it turns out just right. I want to be involved in as much of the cooking process as possible – it makes eating the final dish infinitely more rewarding. For me, it’s not just about pleasing my palate or ingesting nourishment – I want to seek out interesting ingredients and feel them in my hands, I want to observe the transformation from raw to cooked, I want to taste, season, and taste again.
For that reason, amongst others, I adore A Platter of Figs by David Tanis. It seems to be written specifically for folks who cherish the opportunity to spend time in their kitchens, cooking for and with friends and loved ones.
It’s not a book for everyone – all the dishes are scaled to feed eight to ten – and it’s laid out in menu form, so you can’t just turn to “poultry” and see all the recipes collected in the one chapter. But I find it gloriously engaging – the recipes, the anecdotes, the writing style and the photos – I love everything about it.
Last night I defrosted our remaining Costco lobster and used it to make a bastardized version of David’s risotto…
I didn’t have the four or five raw lobsters the recipe asked for, but that didn’t seem to matter. I cracked open the one I did have, picked all the meat, then put the shells on to boil. Further rummaging in the freezer produced a tub of fish stock, which was added to the pot.
The onions were sweated in butter, then Carnoroli rice, garlic, saffron, bay, olive oil and salt were added, followed incrementally by the stock. Once the rice was al dente, it was topped with lemon zest and the picked meat, and finished with parsley. The finishing touch – a dollop of homemade mayo – proved to be the perfect accompaniment. It was sublime and so rich in flavour that Big Boy and I could only manage a bowl each (Pete and Small Man aren’t fans of crustaceans).
This dish was a delight – every grain was loaded with flavour – but I doubt I’d have enjoyed it nearly as much if I’d had it in a restaurant. Then I wouldn’t have known how excited Lorraine and I were to discover the lobsters in the freezer at Costco, or that the rice used was Carnaroli rather than Arborio, or that the parsley and lemon were picked from our garden that afternoon. I wouldn’t have watched the grains of rice transform from hard white to translucent brown, or snacked on the roe from the lobster, or noticed the pungent aroma of the single crushed bay leaf before it was added to the pot.
The great joy of the dish, it turns out, was in the details.
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
So absolutely true, Celia! I must say that more often than not, after eating at a restaurant I don’t feel great. My digestion is not smooth, I feel heavy, bloated, and often sleep poorly (well, I do have a sleeping problem anyway, but…. the overly rich meals in restaurants seem to make the problem worse)
I have that book, and now cannot quite remember what I made from it… it IS a lovely cookbook!
Sally, I wonder what this is – I often have the same reaction too. And sometimes things are so salty that I’m drinking water all night after dinner as well. I’m sorry you don’t sleep well, I’m not very good at it either these days (cursed hormones!).. xx
Absolutely lovely Celia! What a wonderful post.
Have a beautiful day.
:-) Mandy xo
Thanks lovely lady..have a great weekend xx
Lobster season here at the moment, so I will definitely give this a go. Thanks, Celia
Lobsters are always so expensive here, which is why we were so excited to see them at Costco! :)
I couldn’t agree more! Cooking is part of the meal, and I often get quite disappointed eating out because, just as Sally said, I often do not feel great afterwards.
And now I obviously have some book searching to do! ;-)
I figured out the other day that even when I have the fanciest meal, I’m not as connected to it as I am when I cook something simple at home, so therefore I just don’t enjoy or even remember it as well!
The joy is definitely in the details!
I know you know what I mean, and I’m very grateful for that, thanks Tandy! xx
Oh I so agree with you Celia! Although it is nice to go out to eat sometimes, I much prefer to eat food prepared with love. And then I find myself thinking how I would do the dish (sometimes better!) at home then Big Man tells me how he prefers my version of whatever….;) This beautful dish reminds me of a memorable meal Big Man and I had a few years ago when we had a lovely driving holiday in Northern Spain and it was our last night in a particular place and we had to pre-order the lobster rice which was cooked (you’ll like this!) in a massive earthenware pot which did something incredible to the flavour and was served with a simple salad and a very chilled bottle of Albarino (there should be a squiggle on that “n”!) their local wine. Simple, perfect. I need to recreate the moment :)
Tanya, did you see my previous post? :) You inspired me, thank you!
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2014/07/07/duck-fat-and-pimenton-twists/
I read in Paula Wolfert’s book that earthenware pots are often coveted for their age and history – daughters fight for their mother’s special pots, which season the dish in a unique way that can’t be replicated! :)
Saw that post – do hope you got my comment? I agree, it’s wonderful to be inspired by all these amazing food bloggers :) And what a lovlely thing to be able to pass special pots through the family. I have some of my grandmother’s things, wish I’d kept more….
Sorry hon, I did see it after I posted the comment above. I’m watching Rick Stein’s Spain at the moment, and was thinking of you over there with all that amazing food! :)
So true, half the enjoyment of a meal is knowing what is in it and controlling everything. I do still enjoy eating out now and then, after all I get sick of all the dishes from cooking so much! I am more selective about which restaurants I like to visit though. I prefer ones which I know use local products. This risotto looks incredible’ and I never would have thought about putting mayo on top. I just recently finally started making mayo and love it. I usually put herbs in it, today it was thyme mayo. The boys love it too!
Our rule of thumb is to eat out at “exotic” cuisines, so that we can taste foods that we normally wouldn’t cook at home. So we eat Goan and Turkish and Thai and Greek and Southern Indian.. :)
Such a cool tasty post! I love your appetizing lobster risotto a lot! Yum! 😉
Thanks Sophie! :)
I did a couple of years training in the cooking industry through a commercial cookery school. Got to say it certainly opened my eyes to quite a few things and made me MUCH less inclined to go out to eat. I understand that part of the whole gustatory enjoyment of it is to absorb the complete atmosphere, the excellent service etc. BUT you can’t wander around in your undies in the kitchen, sticking your finger into the pot, gazing at your navel and contemplating the flavours, the “nuances” that you are creating. You can’t tweak much more than the chef is willing to tweak (in my case, not very much ;) ) and even though the service is SO much better when you eat out, I would rather save the life of that poor moth eaten sock under the bed (who crawled under there to hide and may just live to see another day…) than pay for someone to pour water into a glass for me, albeit most DELIGHTFULLY pour it…I can get abalones, crayfish etc. from locals who swap for plants. I can create amazing dishes from scratch without having to sell the son-and-heir in the process…cooking IS an adventure and I don’t want to hand my prospective adventures over to anyone else to be honest :)
Fran, Pete and I were talking about this the other day, and we decided that it’s to do with the connection with the food. Some people can connect with their food purely through taste, but I don’t – I can have the most expensive meal in town, but I won’t really remember it a week later, no matter how much I enjoyed it at the time. But if I’ve spent an hour stirring a risotto and tasting as I go, I’ll remember the taste and texture for a very long time.
You are SO right Celia. Good food is an experience to be savoured. It’s as much the process as it is the result and I can’t enjoy paying through the nose when I have missed out on the process. Well put :)
Oh Celia – your description of this dish – lovely – I could smell and taste it as I read your post – thanks.
Thanks Rachel! It was fun to make too! :)
Yum :) Oh yes. We live in city that prides itself on hospitality but so much of it is about making profit rather than good food, and fair enough, there’s enough trade to warrant that. But better news, for me anyway, is the rise of farmers markets, stores, ‘foodies’ – home cooks, bloggers that support the alternative. I’m so glad to be one of those people who can put a meal on the table, and have a choice.
Yes, I have no problem at all with restaurants making a profit. I just rarely enjoy the experience enough for me to feel that it was worth my money. But paying $30 for a chicken that I know was roaming a field the weekend before? No problem seeing the value there.. :)
You could write your own book Celia. The way you recount the pleasures of cooking and how your senses are tantalized while immersing into each recipe is contagious. It makes me want to grab some fresh ingredients and get cooking! I would enjoy this book, I think. The odd thing, perhaps, is that often I enjoy reading about cooking and the joys and pleasures, more than I take the time to cook complex dishes, but I have a hope that one day I’ll reorganize my time to make more space for that. Meanwhile, I take great pleasure in reading your words and somehow the aroma wafts right towards me! :-)
That’s very kind, thank you! Time is the big thing, isn’t it? A wise man once said “being rich is having money, being wealthy is having time”. I have to say, I read a lot of cookbooks and discount the recipes as interesting, but too much hard work. The reading in itself is a joy though! :)
Celia, what a wonderful post, thank you.. I so do share your philosophy about dining out, and much prefer to cook at home, experiment with fresh ingredients. The risotto sounds divine… and I think I might look into that book too. xo
Liz, thank you! The great joy of this blog is being able to share thoughts with kindred spirits such as yourself! xx
Yummy! My mouth is watering now. If it weren’t so stifling hot out, I would love to try making this.
Lucky you! It’s cold here in Sydney at the moment! :)
Ah! Sucha beautiful risotto….craving a plate right now.
Thanks Minnie! It was really nice – even as leftovers the next day!
I love this post and your fab pleasure in pottering about cooking Celia. Brilliant to hear somebody totally enjoying every aspect of the food they put on the table – from appreciating good, frugal ingredients with no waste, to experimenting with how they cook it, to savouring the taste! Looks yummy too. When we next visit our friends’ remote Welsh beach chalet where the fisherman leaves crab or lobster by our backdoor (and we leave him money behind the bar of the local pub) I’ll try lobster risotto. Have been known to bring lobster & crab shells back from holiday with me to add flavour to broths at home!
Andrea, I know you understand, because I see the joy you get from your kitchen adventures too! Thank you! :) And crab and lobster left at your back door? Oh. My. Goodness. xx
It sounds fab Celia. I’ve stopped ordering puddings because they’re so disappointing – and I love my puddings and really don’t think a meal is complete with a mouthful of something sweet. Of course, maybe I just don’t eat in the right restaurants! Eating out can be terribly overrated.
Anne, that’s so true – I think eating out is almost always overrated, and we really only seem to enjoy it when we’re with company. Then the friends make it more worthwhile! :)
yes, its good to know the details. As I am on a cooking free holiday, I ask so many questions about the food I eat in restaurants, and , given the language difficulties, ( My low Bahasa level ) things get lost in translation. Its really good to know the details.
Francesca, it must be wonderful eating in Bali! The only time I was there, I remember being blown away by the food!
Beautiful risotto Celia, I’ll have to look out for lobster at Costco. I’m totally with you when it comes to eating out. While restaurants often tell you the source of ingredients, I like to know exactly what a dish has in it too. I find it hard to get excited by poorly prepared food that I’m expected to pay my hard earned $$ for. Lobster risotto, $58 per serve!
Sandra, it’s hard to do the maths, isn’t it? I never really feel like I’ve had value for my money, particularly in more expensive restaurants. Which I think is not at all their fault, but rather because I don’t feel a connection with the food, which means in turn that I don’t find the experience memorable.
Oh I love you Celia! You’ve painted the cooking experience in words so beautifully. Immersing yourself totally in the process is so soul satisfying. I adore playing with new ingredients, finding how they will fit into my culinary world, bringing the individual notes into a symphony of a meal that I’ve composed, performed and conducted! I’ll definitely keep an eye open for that cookbook sweetie xox
Thanks darling. I love that you know understood exactly what I was trying to say! xx
Terrific risotto Celia and I’m going to have to give it a try with this rice – I use the arborio rice and mix in a couple dollops of triple Creme Brie right at the end, bit I also like your idea of the mayo. Such a shame everyone in your family doesn’t love this dish … Oh well, all the more for you and Big Boy. I always make plenty of this to have it for lunch the next day. Good find at Costco from what I’ve heard from others in your country.
Diane, the brie sounds like a wonderful addition!!
David’s book sound fantastic (another one to add to the list) I generally only go out for dinner now if it is to one of those restaurants, that cost a fortune, but you have mouth explosions and lasting memories of the food. My next on the list is Salt at the Hilton on the Gold Coast! I also love risotto and can’t wait to try a lobster one! Thanks for sharing! Liz x
Thanks Liz! Have a great time at Salt!
totally agree with you celia..my soul is fed too by home cooked food..x
That really is what it’s all about, isn’t it, Jane? Soul food.. :)
Such a lovely post, Celia.It is your passion for the details of food and your skill in conveying that to us that keeps us coming back to your blog to read more. Do keep giving it to us. xxx
You’re always so kind Amanda, thank you x
I must check this book out. You always recommend such great titles! And I still have my lobster in the freezer along with your Cuban bread! :D
Hope you enjoy them both! x
What a fantastic recipe and meal created! No wine added at the beginning? [Do not have the David Tanis book: have to look into that one :) !] Having been in the business world for decades at a time all business lunching/dining was tax deductible, as an urban gal I oft ate out 5-6 times a week . . . .somehow now living rurally where but few enticing places are within a drink-wine-and-drive-safely distance, I too find that I very much enjoy the creative process of putting my own food on the table . . . oh DO wish Costco would be closer – I might even be able to afford the lobsters there!!!!!!
Nope, no wine! Isn’t that interesting, I didn’t think about that until now…
Okay…I lied last post. Combine the words “duck fat” and “risotto” and I’ll be forever yours.
Hahaha… I wonder what the two together would be like?
I think I’d be willing to take a risk and try to figure it out!
All I have to say, is that I think we were separated at birth. I feel exactly the same way about everything you just said- including going out to eat. I could spend hours analyzing recipes, methods and chatting with others over things like Carnaroli vs Arborio (which now I need to know!) Beautifully written post Celia. xx
Thanks hon, I love that you understand so perfectly what I was trying to say. Carnaroli is longer grained than Arborio, I think!
I love to cook too and take care when I am buying food to prepare. It is all made better when there are appreciative eaters at the end of the process. Unfortunately I am married to someone who never, ever comments on anything I cook.
Deb, I’m sorry to hear that, because I know you’re an amazing cook! :)
It’s usually a comment I hand out to Brydie Celia, but you deserve it too. Those last two paragraphs purely brilliant writing.
Hahaha…a secondhand compliment still flatters me no end, Rose! :D
Too bad me own English ain’t no good. “are purely”
I think too you could write your own book – beautifully written post darling xx
Thanks dearheart.. xxx
Oh I absolutely agree! While I do enjoy eating out, I find I’m enjoying it less and less as I get older. I’m going to have to check out David’s book.
Mel, I also have his “One Good Dish” and it’s excellent!
I’ve heard a lot about that book – really dying to dip into the pages. Nothing is so soothing as making a risotto I think….although I have never made a lobster one :)
Sally, I’d never made a risotto one until now either! :)
Love that book as well, and a home meal over a restaurant any day.
Craig, it’s wonderful, isn’t it? See you soon I hope! xx
1. I am vegetarian and 2, have never liked seafood but even l have to say that your photo of the lobster risotto looks so inviting and, being home made you know exactly what is in it. I also like the fact that you discuss the different books you are using. These are the things that make blogging so interesting:)
Thanks Jody! This cookbook was a great read – so often I buy them and then find they’re disappointing once I get into them…
yum! how delicious and decadent. definitely a recipe i will be saving. thanks for the inspiration and ideas.
Most welcome, thanks for stopping by!
You make a fabulous-looking risotto. That cookbook sounds like it’s good for not only the recipes but also for an engaging read. Amazing how each recipe feeds so many – most cookbooks these days deal with 2 or 4 serves – I’m always having to increase the quantities xx
Charlie, I guess most cookbook writers aren’t feeding hordes like we are! :)
Hi Celia, you really do cook with love and I think that’s wonderful. I enjoy cooking, it’s not always the fanciest of dishes but there is something lovely about taking the time to prepare and sit down to a home cooked meal. Your risotto looks delicious, we went to Costco a while ago but unfortunately they had no lobster. Will have to keep an eye out on future visits, I’m craving a lobster roll after your last post x
Stefanie, I was at Costco yesterday and there weren’t any lobsters either. Lots of abalone though! :)
Hi Celia, I offered to buy my parents some of the abalone last time we took them to Costco but dad wouldn’t let me. Live abalone is so absurdly expensive these days dad buys the canned ones and only on special occasions as it’s still not cheap!
I meant to ask have you or anyone you know bought the frozen abalone at Costco? I wonder if it’s any good?
Yeah, I remember this is where I read about the Costco lobster bargains! A tasty looking risotto, Celia!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Thanks Julie! The lobsters were a real treat! Have you been to the new Costco in Qld yet?
Sounds truly divine. I adore risotto of any kind. It would be my desert island dish. But who in the right mind would say no to lobster risotto. Emma.
awesome
My boyfriend will be pleased that I came across this recipe! I will be making it for him soon! :)