So long gone
Nearly three months since my last posting - that's terrible! I have been busy: extra shifts at the Community Office; Green Day at the Walled Garden in Helmsley; trips to Georgia and Wigtown and getting the house ready to sell (huge quantities of paint to be applied to all surfaces and attendant chaos).
So just to recap (to steal DB's line) here are the recipes from the 1st September at the Walled Garden when I gave a "Cooking with Herbs" Demo. More soon I hope on the US, Scotland and jamming.
The butternut squash soup is a milder, creamier cousin to my current October recipe - shown below - on www.whyorganic.org
Recipes:
Celery, Apple & Dill Soup
25g / 1oz butter or margarine
4 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large head of celery
2 large cooking apples
salt, pepper, sugar
700ml / 1 ½ pt water or stock
1 small bunch dill
In a large pan, melt the fat and slowly fry the onion and garlic. Chop the celery, including the leaves and add to the pan. Core but do not peel apples. Chop then add to the pan. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook 5 minutes then add the stock and half the dill and simmer for 25 minutes. Strain. Add the rest of the chopped dill and check seasonings. Reheat as required.
Cream of Butternut Squash with Sage Soup
25g / 1oz butter or margarine
3 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of sage
500ml / 3 / 4 pt vegetable stock
400g / 14oz tub crème fraiche
salt, pepper, nutmeg
Melt the fat in a large pan and slowly cook the onions and garlic until soft and golden. Add the butternut squash and turn about. Cook 2 minutes. Add half the sage, chopped. Cook another 2 minutes. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until all is very soft.
Liquidise. When the soup is smooth and a little cooler, blend in the crème fraiche. Season to taste. Reheat gently and do not boil. Serve garnished with a sage leaf or two.
Marinated Feta Salad
200g / 7oz feta, diced
small bunch thyme
a few sprigs mint
some flat parsley
a few pink, white and black peppercorns
pinch salt, sugar
1 lemon
3 tbs olive oil
6 slices bread
1 egg white, lightly whisked
2 tsp sesame seeds
a little oil
Lettuce
Place the feta in a bowl. Chop the herbs finely. Grind the peppercorns with the salt and sugar. Grate the lemon rind. Combine the herbs, rind, peppercorns and seasoning together then scatter over the feta. Squeeze over the lemon juice, then drizzle with the olive oil. Carefully toss to ensure all is coated then leave in a cool place for at least an hour.
Dip the bread in the egg white then into the sesame seeds. Cut into squares. Fry in a little oil until nicely browned. Drain and cool. Line a salad bowl with washed lettuce, scatter over the sesame croutons then top with the feta. Serve.
Lavender Poached Pears
150ml / 5fl oz white wine
150ml / 5fl oz water
100g / 3 oz sugar
a piece of lemon rind
a small bunch of lavender
6 pears, slightly under ripe
Combine everything except the pears in a flameproof casserole over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Pare the pears thinly, keeping them whole and retaining the stalks. Stand upright in the hot syrup, cover and poach over a low heat until tender. Eat hot, warm or chilled.
