Green Lentil Soup

Later on today we will be taking a wee trip to see Nancy at our local Farm Shop to pick up our veggies for the coming week..   I wanted to use up what we had left over from last week so thought i’d make some soup.    The weather today is horrid its raining heavy, its windy and cold.. just the right kinda day for a bowl of soup and some fresh made crusy bread.

The bread is churning away in the breadmaker and the soup is bubbling away on the cooker ..

The quantities are approximate, because when I make soup its usually ad hoc, I always forget to take a note of exact quantities.

• A large heavy based soup pot
• organic vegetable stock cubes
• a big pinch of maldon salt
• black pepper – about 20 turns of the pepper mill should do it
• 4 litres of water
• 6 smallish carrots grated
• 2 diced onions 1 x brown and 1 x red
• a head of brocolli
• 2 potatoes grated
• a big bunch of fresh curly parsley chopped
• green lentils I used about half a small packet will guess at 150g
• 3 medium length skinny leeks sliced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
• A tablespoon of tomato puree

method:

1. bring water to the boil
2. Add salt and stock cubes, stir until disolved
3. throw in all the vegetables and lentils
4. let it simmer away for about an hour
5. remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly
6. then blitz it in a blender until smooth

Serve in a a bowl with a little dollop of double cream and sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley…. not forgetting a big chunk of freshly baked bread and butter.

Chilli Con Carne

This is our version of Chili Con Carne, it is quick to make and as no-one in our family really likes kidney beans apart from me.. this recipe doesn’t include them.

The recipe originated from a packet of mince we bought and the recipe was on the reverse side of the label and we gave it a try :o)

Cooking time : 40 mins

Ingredients :

• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1 Clove of Garlic, crushed
• 1 Red Pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder (i use mild)
• Half a teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• A 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 300ml beef stock
• salt and pepper
• 200g beef
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped

method:

1. Saute the meat, onion, garlic and red pepper over a moderate heat for 6 – 8 mins
2. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook for 1 min
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 3o minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Serve with rice or tacos and salad

We had some left over so I stuck it in the fridge and we will have it tonight as a supper dish.   I’ve already boiled some largeish new potatoes and grated some cheese…

I’m going to cut the potatoes in half, place on a baking tray, put a dollop of chili on top of each half, then top with a really good mature cheddar cheese and bake in the oven until piping hot and the cheese has melted.

                                 

Slight change of plan my daughter has just surfaced out of bed (its 1320hrs) and has put in a request for these for her lunch!   I have made half and will keep the other half till suppertime :o)

Raspberry Bakewell (of sorts)

                                        

This is a recipe of my mother-in-laws, it also happens to be my husbands favourite..

 It can take a wee bit of time to make, but if your pottering around in the kitchen making stuff anyway, its easily enough fitted in around what your doing..

I should also mention that I use organic ingredients, but if you dont have organic, ordinary ingredients are just fine too :o)

Ok.. the first part is to make the sweet rich shortcrust pastry base, you will need…

for a 20cm / 8 inch Tart/Baking tin

170g / 6oz plain flour

a pinch of maldon salt

100g / 3 and a half oz organic Butter

1 egg yolk (from my free range organically fed bantam called dugie/chicken little)

2 tablespoons Ice cold Water

2 tablespoons organic caster sugar

method:

• sieve the flour and salt
• cut the butter into cubes
• add to the flour and salt and rub in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
• add the sugar and mix through
• add the egg yolk to the water then mix it into the dry mix, once its all come together chill int he fridge for 15-20 mins
• roll out to 1cm thick
• line the tin with greaseproof paper then fit the pastry into the tin
• trim the excess as required and save for something else :o)
• put another layer of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry and fill with pie weights/beans/rice etc for baking blind.
• bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees/400 degrees F or gas mark 6 for 15 mins
• Once cooked take out of the oven and set aside and allow to cool.

Once the base is cooled completely you will need some jam…I used a jar of homemade raspberry I made from last summer (2007).   Spoon abour 5 heaped desertspoonfuls of the jam onto the pastry base and spread evenly covering the whole of the base (dont put it up the sides).  Leave this aside whilst you made the vanilla sponge..

Vanilla Sponge:

4oz organic self raising flour

4oz Organic butter or marg

4 oz organic Caster Sugar

a teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs ( or 4 tiny eggs if you own a wee bantam chicken like me lol)

• cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy
• beat in the eggs one at a time
• add the vanilla essence
• mix in the flour

Take this mixture and carefully spoon on top of the jammy based pastry case and bake in your oven at 190 degrees c until it springs back when you touch the top…

I initially baked mine for 35 minutes, because when I make just a victoria sandwich cake this is enough.. but when i checked the cake after the  35 mins it was still wobly on the top, so I turned the temp on the oven down slightly and gave it another 10 mins and checked it again, I inserted a skewer this time and it didnt come out clean, but it was nearly there so I gave it another 5 mins and that did the trick…. you will just need to use your own judgement like I did for this recipe i’m afraid.. but its well worth it.

Once the cake has cooled completely, mix up some icing sugar with water and cover the top of the sponge cake with it, then sprinkle with some dessicated coconut.