Instant still life

Yesterday we brought in some kaffir limes, rosemary and chillies from the garden; I had found an enticing recipe for The Perfect Italian-style Lamb Shanks by David Herbert in The Australian  that I wanted to try.

Whenever I see an attractive arrangement of fruit or vegetables it always brings to mind the paintings of Margaret Olley, one of my favourite Australian artists (although she herself prefers to be called a painter).  Some of her works have been reproduced on this gallery site.

Margaret, now 82 and still painting in her Sydney home, was some years ago declared an Australian National Living Treasure.  She specialises in still lifes - mostly sumptuous studies of flowers, fruit, or vegetables that she arranges and re-arranges on the antique furniture pieces dotted around her studio home.

My photographic study includes a bunch of herbs collected a few days ago - rosemary, winter tarragon and pineapple sage.  I usually have a jug or two of fresh herbs on the sink or sideboard - anything that is blooming and will bring some fresh sights and smells to the kitchen.  It's also easy then, to snap off a piece to toss into the teapot or the stew.

David Herbert's lamb shanks (cooked by my husband, to give credit where it is due) were superb.  We added the kaffir lime zest on impulse, because they were there and seemed to have an affinity with the other ingredients.  That is how it is when you have things sitting around in the kitchen.  There are rather a lot of kaffir limes left for us to think about.  We'll see where they end up in the coming week or two!

Comments

[Tjilpi]

If I promise to change the subject, will you pickle me some of your bumpy limes?

[Jude]

Unfortunately, the bumpy limes are useless for pickle - you need the smooth, thin skinned ones for that. I've found a recipe and we have the limes - now, like everything, it's just finding the time to do it.