Unexpected pleasures – beluga lentil salad

Beluga lentil salad

I am ashamed to admit it but I am probably a creature of habit. I guess I am just less spontaneous than I once was. Get up, work, walk, diner, shower, sleep. Last week my usual program of events was altered by a train derailment and my evening was all the better for it.

It has got me thinking about how I would like to be more open to the possibilities that are out there every day. Maybe there is so much more I could do? Am I really making the most of my time on this “pale blue dot”? All very scary and metaphysical questions but for me the scariest thought in the world is lying on my death bed wishing I had spent more time being creative, being with friends, seeing the world… instead of watching sh*t TV. Maybe I’m worrying prematurely, I am only 24 after all. Fingers crossed I’ve got a few years left in me yet.

Due to the derailment I had to get off the train a stop early and instead of catching a bus or walking the shortest route back I made the most of the late summer sun by walking along the riverbank. Here are a few photos I took with my phone. I don’t think they really capture the peace and sense of age of the landscape. It has this lovely, forgotten and ancient atmosphere, all very romantic.

Tired feet

I would describe both my walk along the riverbank and this beluga lentil salad as an unexpected pleasure. I’ve always had a rather nonchalant attitude towards lentils, a bit too rough and earthy maybe, but these beluga ones are richer and creamier but still more delicate than their dhal making counterparts. The creaminess is cut through with the vinaigrette and spring onions and the earthy hint is lifted by the freshness of the parsley. Good ol’ Nigel Slater, that boy never puts a foot wrong in my opinion.

Beluga lentil salad served with grilled courgettes and iberico ham - just as Mr Slater suggested

Beluga lentil salad – adapted from Nigel Slater’s Tender Volume 1 (highly recommended)

Serves 4 as part of a lunch

For the lentils

200 g of beluga lentils

600 ml chicken or vegetable stock – ideally homemade as commercial stocks will have more salt which can toughen the skin on the lentils

For the dressing

4-5 spring onions – finely chopped

a clove of garlic – crushed

a large handful of flat leaf parsley – roughly chopped

6 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Have a quick look and rummage through the lentils, sometimes there can be debris in the packet.

Pop the lentils into a sieve and run under cold water for a minute or two until the water is clear.

Add the lentils to a pan of simmering chicken stock.

In the meantime make the vinaigrette by adding the dressing ingredients together and mixing.

Taste the lentils after 10 minutes but they may require up to 15-20 minutes cooking.

The lentils should be tender but still with a little bite when they are ready.

Drain using a sieve and run under cold water for a minute or two.

Put the lentils in a bowl and pour in the dressing and give it a gentle mix until all the lentil are coated.

Season to taste.

Enjoy.

Suck it up – Worcester berry and marzipan crumble

Worcester berry and marzipan crumble

I remember being told as a young child, “sometimes we need to do things we don’t necessarily want to do”. Tough love. I think the next few months are going to fall under that heading. I’m just going to have to “suck it up”  (and comfort eat).

An ex-boyfriend once told me my food wasn’t “sexy”. Perhaps he was right but frankly I couldn’t care less, on a good day it is pretty darn tasty. This recipe is a perfect example of that; not sexy but great comfort food.

Worcester berries

I hadn’t come across Worcester berries before last Saturday when I spotted them at the farmer's market. If you are interested they are a cross between a red gooseberry and a blueberry and make excellent jam apparently. If you can’t find them most stone fruit such as plums or berries such as brambles would work well.

Worcester berry crumble filling

Worcester and marzipan crumble

Makes 4 pots

Oven set to 180 degrees c

For the topping –

100g plain flour

80g of butter at room temperature

20g demerara sugar

35g marzipan chopped into ½ cm cubes

For the filling -

600g Worcester berries, topped and tailed

80 - 100g approx of caster sugar

Add the filling ingredients to a pan over a moderate heat.

Maybe add a tiny splash of water if you think it will stick.

Cook for approx 5 minutes or until soft.

Have a taste you may need to add more sugar.

To make the topping add the flour and butter together by rubbing the mixture between your fingers until it resembles rough sand.

Stir in the sugar and half of the marzipan.

To assemble the crumble add some of the filling to a wee pot or ramekin if you are being posh.

You may want to add the fruit and just a little of juice as it would be a bit of a watery crumble if you add the whole of the filling mixture.

Scatter the remaining half of the marzipan onto the filling and then add the topping mix.

To make a crisp crumble make sure the top is completely covered and compress slightly.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until crisp and lovely.

Serve with cream, custard, yogurt or whatever you fancy. Personally I think some elderflower ice cream would be pretty amazing with this.

Enjoy.

Worcester berry and marzipan crumble - tucking in

Orzo pasta salad with peas, round courgettes and a few herbs

Orzo pasta salad with peas, courgettes and a few herbs

When I think of summer eating I have a strong image in my head and I’d like to share it with you if you don’t mind. Summer eating for me is light, fresh flavours, simple dishes and perfect produce. I dream of flat white peaches, dark blood coloured cherries, iridescent sardines, sweet crab and tender runner beans… I think of being in a lush, full country garden, bees and butterflies. It’s almost like a potager. I imagine a languid lunch eaten on white plates on an old wooden table, aged from years under the elements. There is flagstone paving that leads up a few steps into the garden beyond. Whatever food is eaten it is always enjoyed with something chilled and white, the glass is dewy on the outside where the cool wine has hit the warmed atmosphere of a late July afternoon. This image I have in my head is probably the result of indulging in few too many Rick Stein re runs recently. The reality of summer eating for me is sadly less romantic. I ate this salad for lunch 3 days on the trot in that darn windowless staffroom in Fife. A girl can daydream.

Orzo pasta

This is my take on a summery pasta salad. There are no rules, it is more of a framework than a recipe and works with whatever seasonal veggies you have in your fridge or whatever you like best. Think of this as a bit of inspiration.

Orzo pasta salad with peas, courgettes and a few herbs

Orzo pasta salad with peas, round courgettes and a few herbs.

Serves 4

300g of pasta, I used the pretty orzo

1 roasted chicken breast, shredded

fresh peas, shelled to give a handful or two

1 round courgette or 2 small standard courgettes, finely sliced

small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

couple of tablespoons of more flavourful herbs – I used mint and greek basil

few shavings of a hard aged cheese, I used pecorino

zest of 1 lemon

juice of at least one lemon

good glug of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, orzo takes about 7-8 minutes.

Drain the pasta and run it under cold water for a couple of minutes until cool.

Add all the ingredients to the pasta, taste and adjust proportions as required.

Season to taste.

Enjoy.