Parsnip, lentil and bacon soup

I've been clearing out the fridge after the festive period and came across a bag of parsnips that needed using up, Christmas is like that we all buy too much stuff and then end up chucking it out, however we try not to let that happen at Lancashire Food. So here is a comforting warming recipe that is falling of a log simple yet produces great results from some fairly humble ingredients. The recipe would also work well with ham instead of bacon or if you are cooking for vegetarian eaters omitted entirely. 

Ingredients

• 500g bag of parsnips, topped and tailed, peeled and chunky chopped
• 1 large white onion, peeled and chopped fairly finely
• 1 cup of red lentils
• Vegetable stock
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 small pack of Pancetta / or a couple of rashers of bacon chopped up into small pieces
• Small knob of butter

Method

• Start by melting the butter in a large saucepan, once melted add your bacon and cook until golden, remove from pan
• Now add the chopped onion and parsnips and cooks for a few minutes without colouring, now add the red lentils to the pan and add enough vegetable to cover.
• Bring to the simmer and cook until the lentils have disintergrated and the parsnip is soft, watch the quantity of liquid you may need to add more water.
• Once cooked allow to cool slighty, then blend with a stick blender until you reach you desired consistency, add more water if you want a thinner soup.
• Add the bacon back to the pan and reheat gently
• Serve with crusty bread

Peasant Salad

This salad is a great easy standard that never disappoints, its a warm salad for those summer days when the weather refuses to play ball and is unseasonably cool. Since our new hens arrived egg production has rapidly increased so this salad features boiled eggs too, you can use what ever you have in the fridge and whatever is growing in the garden or you have been able to nab from the hedgerow.

Ingredients

• Bacon - either pancetta cubes or smoked streaky chopped in to small pieces
• Boiled egg - 1 per person - quartered
• New potatoes - ruffords / jersey's or similar - just make it local if you can - boiled until soft, keep warm
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Salad leaves - rocket, lambs lettuce, purslane, etc
• Mushrooms - chopped finely and fried in a little oil until soft.
• Olive oil or rapeseed oil
• Balsamic vinegar or your favourite fruit vinegar

Method

• Assemble your salad leaves , boiled eggs on a plate
• Quickly fry your bacon till crispy in a little olive oil, then add the mushrooms back to the pan to warm through
• Drain your potatoes and put on your plate
• Scoop your bacon and  mushrooms  using a slotted spoon onto the plates sprinkling all over the salad
• Add balsamic to warm pan along with pan juices, swirl and then use to dress salad
• Delicious :-)

Barlotto with wild greens and bacon

Barlotto is the english equivalent of risotto, using pearl barley instead of risotto rice and the perfect foil for wild greens.Our wild greens were collected from the local hedgerows, a delicious easy recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 large shallot finely chopped
• Bacon lardons / pancetta
• Pearl barley
• Chicken stock - keep hot on the hob
• Wild greens ( nettles and wild garlic)
• Parmesan to finish
• Salt and pepper
• Oil olive / sunflower oil

Method

• Soften your shallot in a little oil in a large frying pan
• Add your bacon lardons and fry until lightly golden
• Now add a good handful of pearl barley per person
• Stir so the barley is coated with the juices in the pan
• Add some of the hot chicken stock to the pan and simmer, gently stirring until absorbed
• Keep adding stock and stirring until the the pearl barley is soft and the barlotto is not too runny.
• Taste and season
• Serve finished with parmesan cheese

Courgette & bacon risotto

I love italian food, it is the only other cuisine than English that I  would happily eat every day. Due to often experiencing gluts of courgettes my blog features quite a large numbers of curcubit recipes, this is another. Another one of my vices is creamy sauces and this  is a recipe were you get that creamy mouth feel without the addition of large volumes of double cream. I have used creme fraiche to reduce the fat level even further.

Ingredients

• cubed pancetta or streaky bacon
• courgette - cubed
• small onion - finely chopped
• clove of garlic- crushed or finely chopped
• 175g risotto rice
• chicken stock
• white wine 
• thyme
• creme fraiche
• parmesan - finely grated
• olive oil

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan
• fry the onion, garlic and bacon for about 3 minutes
• add your courgette to the pan and stir
• now add the risotto rice to the pan, sprinkle with thyme
• add some of your chicken stock and wine, simmer and keep stirring
• keep adding stock / wine until the rice is soft but is al dente
• add creme fraiche to taste
• serve topped with grated parmesan