Feasting on Art

The autumn now holds a distinct chill in the air so I want to pack the blog with the last bit of fresh veg before the winter produce hits the shelves. The next post will feature beautiful asparagus that I hope to find at the market this weekend but for now I want to share a delicious salad recipe that combines lots of textures and flavours. I adore the sweet/sour/spicy dressing combined with the soft, milky cheese and the crunch of the walnuts. To see what I was cooking, eating, and learning about a year ago, check the link at the bottom of each post to view the entry from 12 months earlier.

Florentine artist, The Flour Bolter of Baldassarre Sauarez, Known as Il Mantenuto, 1650
Florence, Accademia della Crusca

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This still life was requested by Liz at Zested and what a challenge it ended up being!! I had a very hard time figuring out how to work the cabbage into a recipe with the melon (not to mention stringing up the quince and cabbage for a photo!). I finally decided that although I like a bit of sweetness in a salad, the melon was a bit too sweet and by pickling it I was able to give the curtido an extra vinegary punch. It is not a traditional Spanish dish, its roots are in Latin America, but by including some typical Spanish flavors like lemon, oregano, and paprika I was able to give a Spanish feel to a fantastic dish.

Juan Sánchez Cotán, Still-life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber, c. 1600
oil on Canvas, 69 x 85 cm, Museum of Art, San Diego

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