"It takes a long time to grow an old friend."
~John Leonard
Today I spent a brief time in the company of a dear friend. It seems that no matter how long between our visits, it's like yesterday every time we get together to catch up.
A stormy snowy day in our village called for some warming soup and crusty bread, easily made ahead so we could spend more time just enjoying each others company. Something tasty and sweet for dessert and of course some cheeses to finish our meal.
Lemony Lentil Soup
(my sister’s recipe)
A very flavourful dish that seems to improve with each left-over serving. Freezes well. My sister adds chopped bits of chicken sausage. I have added spicy Italian sausage and omitted the cheese. This time I added some local sausage of sanglier, veal and turkey. It is a very flexible recipe and as long as the lemon components are included it is still delicious no matter how it is seasoned.
8 Servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Onion dices
3 Carrots diced
6 cloves Garlic minced
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Red chilli flakes (I usually use at least ½ tsp)
1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
8 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups Red lentils
2 Lemons juiced
2 teaspoons Lemon jest
1 cup Feta cheese crumbled
2 tablespoons Fresh dill
Rinse lentils. Heat oil in large pot, add onions. Sauté till translucent. Add carrots, garlic, salt and pepper, chillies, rosemary, oregano & bay leaves. Sauté till carrots are tender. Add stock and lentils. Simmer 25 minutes. Add lemon juice & zest. Sprinkle with cheese and dill. Serve.
Panna Cotta with Balsamic Berries
This is a delicious Italian classic that takes just a few minutes to prepare and can be made the day ahead. The balsamic fruit adds a nice twist.
8 Servings
2 teaspoons (1 packet) unflavoured gelatin powder
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup sugar
For the Berries
4 pints (8 cups total) sliced fresh strawberries plus raspberries and black berries
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Lemon zest
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on three tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the cream, the yogurt, the vanilla extract, and the vanilla bean seeds. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot cream/gelatin mixture into the cream/yogurt mixture and stir well to combine. Pour into eight (3 1/2" round × 2" high) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and allow to set overnight.
3. Thirty minutes to an hour before serving, combine the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and pepper. Toss well and set aside at room temperature.
4. To serve, run a small knife around each dessert and dip the bottom of each ramekin quickly in a bowl of hot tap water. Un-mold each ramekin upside down onto a dessert plate and surround with mixed berries and their juices. Dust lightly with freshly grated lemon zest and serve.
....Bon appétit
my good friend....
