Colleen's Moroccan Lunch

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Mezze tastings: Broad Bean Dip - Spiced Pumpkin Dip -Labna Cheese - Dukkah - Persian Figs - Turkish Bread

Main Course: Tagine of Lamb with Prunes and Preserved Lemon - Spiced Cous Cous - Orange,

Beetroot and Cinnamon Salad - Fatoush Salad

Dessert: Mandarin Almond Cake - Saffron Raisin Cardamom Ice Cream - Cape Gooseberry Syrup

Moroccan Mint Tea - Turkish Delight

When it was my turn to host the Foodies lunch, to be honest I was nervous because Frances had set such a high standard as the first hostess. Because some of my favourite flavours are Middle-Eastern, I decided to do a Moroccan inspired shared table.

With our policy of sourcing our ingredients from local produce as much as possible, I was at a loss to find lamb for the tagine. I spent what seemed like hours on the phone, calling Sydney providores until one told me that the Milton meatworks (in the southern Shoalhaven) often produced lamb from Goulburn (inland from here). Then coincidentally, the meatworks told me a butcher at East Nowra (10 minutes drive) had just bought in some of the Goulburn lamb. I felt quite triumphant that I had been able to source the lamb after being told by another butcher that 'everything comes from Cowra'.

For my mezze tastings I was able to use produce from my own garden - seasonal broad beans and the last of my butternut pumpkins from last season.I made the labna from home-made yoghurt using South Coast milk and the dukkah and persian figs, although not being grown in the area, are produced by a local business.

Luckily I had made preseved lemon from my garden just a few months ago and the orange and beetroot for the salad also came from my own backyard.

Other ingredients were sourced from a greengrocer in Nowra who is really making a great effort to supply locally grown fresh produce. The mandarins for the cake and the eggs for the ice-cream came from this supplier. South Coast milk also went into the icecream and the cape gooseberry syrup was made from berries from my garden. This ice-cream is seriously decadent and delicious. Cardamom has to be one of my favourite spices.

I sent my dog Boomer to a kennel for an overnight stay because I just knew he would pester the Foodies with his constant need for love and attention. The cats all hung around and Angie joined us for the experience. The food looked great on the colourful table, covered with a Rajasthan sari I bought on an Indian trip. We accompanied the food with Petit Rouge - a wine from Cambewarra Winery.

Thanks to Kim and Christine for taking photos - I was so busy with the food, I forgot to photograph it.