Cook Your Life

Puy Lentil Masala

If you've read any of my previous recipes you might be forgiven for thinking that ninety percent of my diet is Italian food. Okay, so maybe that's a little generous, but it's probably not far off.

One thing I don't eat very often is curry. Now, that's not because I dislike it, or have any major aversion to tumeric, but it is a cuisine that I've not yet (note the word 'yet') attempted to master.

That said, this weeks recipe is so easy, tasty and (sorry) vegetarian that I thought I'd share with you the one Indian dish I can cook with my eyes shut. Well, not literally, obviously...that would be stupid...and messy.

 

Puy Lentil Masala

Serves 2

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 30m
Beverage Suggestion -  Pale Ale

Ingredients

400g or 2 Cups Puy Lentils, cooked
1x Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ground Nut Oil
1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
3x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1x Green Chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
15g or 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Yoghurt
1/2 tsp (each) Tumeric, Garam Masala, Crushed Fenugreek Seeds and Ground Coriander
3 tbsp Tomato Puree
100ml or 1/2 Cup Water
Sea Salt to taste
10g or 1/3 Cup Coriander, finely chopped 

Directions

1. Fry the garlic, chilli, onion, ginger and cumin seeds in the nut oil for 5m
2. Add the puree and spices, cooking for a further 5m
3. Add the lentils, yoghurt and half of the water
4. Simmer for 20m, adding more water if required
5. Add the coriander and salt to taste

 

 

Pumpkin & Smoked Duck Soup

The last time I thought smoking was cool was in my teens, when a Marlbro Red and bottle of Jack were de rigueur accessories for any hairsprayed, leather-jacketed rock god.

These days, the only smoking I think is cool is the sort that wraps hickory flavoured goodness around hunks of protein.

Smoking meat and fish as a way to preserve it has been around since we were sat round ugging, clubbing and getting more than a little excited by fire. It preserves the meat through dehydration and imparting chemicals into the meat via the smoke itself.

You can smoke almost any type of meat, and by using different types of wood pellet, you can impart either subtle, or smack-you-round-the-face character to your flesh of choice.

This dish uses Mallard duck breast smoked over some cherry wood. These particular chips lend a candied tobacco essence which compliment the mellow, silky seasonal pumpkin soup.

 

Pumpkin & Smoked Duck Soup

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 25m
Beverage Suggestion -  Californian Chardonnay

Ingredients

1/2 Pumpkin, sectioned
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste
1 tsp Allspice
500ml or 2 Cups Vegetable Stock
30g or 1/3 Cup Smoked Duck Breast, chopped
1x Garlic Clove, finely Chopped
1x Shallot, finely Chopped
1 tbsp Double Cream

 

Directions

1. Drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with the allspice, salt and pepper
2. Roast at Gas Mark 5/375f/190c for around 40m until the pumpkin is soft
3. Sauté the garlic & shallot for 5m
4. Scrape the Pumpkin from the skin
5. Blend using a little stock
6. Add the rest of the stock, cream & simmer for 10m
7. Season to taste
8. Serve with Chopped Smoked Duck on top

Butternut Squash Macchiato

The scent of smoky, fired meat on a BBQ, wrapped in the chill of quickly darkening evening, means Autumn is well and truly settled into its pipe and slippers for 2010.

This is my favourite time of year for food. Rich game meats, smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, cosying up to mugs of steaming chocolate topped with bourbon (oh, that could just be me!) and even more reason to spend my weekends over a hot stove all add up to a happy Fall.

Butternut Squash is an Orange Winter Squash, with a sweet pulp that can be roasted, pureed or even used as a sweet pie filling. Spicy fall flavours are it's best friends, and this soup is smooth and silky. The light froth made using salty ricotta cheese add a subtle tang and turn a humble veloute into a special dinner party indulgence.

Butternut Squash Macchiato

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 25m
Beverage Suggestion -  Californian Chardonnay

Ingredients

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
15g or 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste
100 ml or 1/3 Cup Double Cream
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1x Garlic Clove, finely chopped
500ml or 2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 tbsp Ricotta Cheese

Directions

1. Place the shallot, squash and garlic in a heavy bottomed pan with half the butter and olive oil
2. Fry gently for around 10m until the squash is soft
3. Add a splash of Stock, blend into a puree
4. Sieve
5. Add the rest of the stock, stir though
6. Simmer for 10m
7. In a seperate pan, mix the cream and cheese
8. Stir over a low heat with a little extra salt to taste for around 5m
9. Season the soup to taste
10. Pour the soup into bowls
11. Whisk the cream cheese mixture with a cappuccino frother/whisk until bubbles are produced
12. Spoon the froth over the soup to serve