Rain rain go away

Pumpkins and figs don't usually appear in the same sentence, but that's what is featured on Shared Kitchen this week. Oh, and rain ...

Rain rain go awayYep, raining again, flooding again, the same people will be experiencing the same drama. My new water features. It is tiresome, but to cheer us up I've got some bright and tasty food. I love these lamb flatbreads – it's the filling that I hunger for, slightly spicy and slightly sour with pomegranate molasses (the wraps are finished off with a good dusting of smoked paprika which catches the heat and colours them under the grill) ... and as I love the filling so much I decided to try it in small pumpkins. I got three buttercup pumpkins for $2.00 last week, so not an expensive experiment. They're scrumptious! And a great family meal. The recipe for the flatbreads is from my book Julie Biuso At Home, and the talented Aaron McLean took the pic. Pomegranate molasses adds a real depth of flavour, a sweet-sour note, and is delicious simply drizzled over drained yoghurt and used as an accompaniment to a tray of baked vegetables. Read about Pomegranate Molasses Then figs. I've been hogging a few of them lately and enjoying them in salads with sizzled haloumi and whatnot. This is a great salad from last season that's well worth making. Fig & Radicchio Salad with Goat's Cheese & Hazelnuts. And there's the simplest fig tart that hardly needs a recipe. Well, I'm off to sweep away mud and check the puckered driveway (yes, that's a p) while I contemplate life. I am deferring my birthday, which is today, until the sun smiles. Maybe at the weekend! Hope you are not too soggy wherever you are. Julie PS Cooking classes, including private classes this weekend, will go ahead as inside is not affected by rain! Check the schedule here Cooking classes