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LEEK AND KALE PEARL BARLEY RISOTTO WITH CRISPY BACON – Serves 4

3 leeks, finely sliced
oil for frying
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150g. bacon lardons or bacon chopped into small pieces
250g. pearl barley
1 litre chicken stock
200g. chopped curly kale
3 tbsps. creme fraiche
juice of 1 lemon
finely chopped parsley (optional)

1. Heat a glug of oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the leeks.  Fry for 3 – 4 minutes, then add the garlic, half the bacon and the pearl barley.  Gently fry for a further 2 – 3 minutes, then slowly start to add the chicken stock.

2. As the pearl barley absorbs the stock, keep slowly adding more.  When three quarters of the stock has been added (this will take 15 – 20 minutes) pour in the remaining stock, then gently simmer until the barley is cooked (another 10 – 15 minutes).

3. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan cook the remaining bacon and set aside.  Stir the kale into the barley in batches and simmer for a few minutes.

4. Season to taste, stir in the creme fraiche and lemon juice then serve up sprinkled with parsley if you wish.

NOTES;

You can, of course, make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

You get more juice from a lemon if you roll it first, don’t ask me why, I was taught that tip at Catering College.

If rice risottos frighten you there are quite a few oven baked risotto recipes to be found on the internet.  They are very successful, I have tried some.

RHUBARB AND WHISKEY FOOL – Serves 4. 

400g. rhubarb
500mls. water
100g. caster sugar
1 tbsp. runny honey
284mls. double cream
3 tbsps. whiskey

1. Chop the rhubarb into pieces and place in a saucepan with the water, sugar and honey.  Bring to the boil and simmer until thick with strands of broken-down rhubarb.  Leave to cool, preferably overnight.

2. Whip the cream until it is really stiff and doesn’t move.  Mix the whiskey into the rhubarb and finally fold this into the whipped cream.  I would whip the cream and fold in the fruit at the last minute when ready to serve the dessert and not do it in advance.

Jane’s Borscht

Serves 6

500g. / 1lb. 2ozs. raw beetroot, peeled and grated (or finely chopped into small cubes)
500g. / 1lb. 2ozs. red cabbage, finely shredded
3 tbsps. tomato puree
2 tbsps. red wine vinegar
125g. / 4 1/2 ozs. butter
1.2 litres beef stock (use vegetable if preferred)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
salt and pepper
1 tbsp. brown sugar

To garnish

275mls. / 1/2pt. soured cream

Put the beetroot and red cabbage into a large saucepan.  Stir in the tomato puree, vinegar, half the butter and the stock.  Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.

Melt the remaining butter and saute the onion and carrot until soft.  Add to the beetroot and red cabbage mixture, cover and simmer gently for a further 15 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add the brown sugar.  Serve garnished with sour cream.

Carrot Puree

This works well as a sauce for lamb meatballs, but is also delicious as a dip with pitta bread or spread over barbecued kebabs.

4 large carrots
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
juice of 1/2 lemon
a few sprigs of fresh mint
4 tbsps. natural yoghurt
freshly ground black pepper, sea salt
2 garlic cloves

Peel and chop the carrots.  Place in a pan with water and bring to the boil.  Simmer until they are very tender.  Drain away the water and return to a low heat.

Add the olive oil and the caraway seeds and sweat for a moment.  Cool before blending with half the lemon juice and then add the mint leaves.  Add more oil if needed.  Turn into a bowl.

Beat the yogurt with some salt and pepper, remaining lemon juice and the crushed garlic.  Make a well in the centre of the carrot puree and put the yogurt mixture into this. 

NOTES

I tried this puree without the mint leaves with beetroot and it was lovely but took longer to soften the beetroot than the carrots.

Caraway seeds can be found at Handley Organics, they have a very distinctive flavour which I really like.