Food for Thought for Friday * LENTIL LASAGNE

Steep 8oz whole brown lentils soaked in cold water overnight.

The next day simmer them in freshly boiled water that just covers them, along with a vege stock cube, a bay leaf and an inch of celery to be removed when the lentils are drained.

Finely chop 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic and 4oz mushrooms

Sauté/soften in half oz/ knob butter

Add this mixture to the drained lentils with 4 tbs tomato puree and 4 tbs water, (OR a can of chopped tomatoes) 1 tbs oregano or (2 tsps mixed herbs), 1 tsp sugar or sweetner.

Make up 1 pint white sauce using 2oz butter melted, 1 tsp Coleman’s or other strong mustard,1 tbs flour, ¾ pint milk, salt to taste.

Assemble by layering sauce, lasagne sheets and lentil mixture until you fill a wide shallow square dish. (lasagne/sauce/mix, lasagne/sauce/mix, lasagne/sauce)

Grate lots (3oz?) of any cheese you want to use and put it on top. Top with black pepper and grated nutmeg.

Cook at 170 for 40 mins or until well browned and bubbling.

Serve with green salad.

Februum

The feast of Februa, interestingly was the 15th of this month, dedicated to the goddess of purity. St Valentine isn't that far removed from this Roman feast day in date or spirit -- as it is with so many of the festivals we celebrate. Love and Purity and purification, hearts and flowers.

Happy Valentine's Day

FOOD for thought for Friday

Since we have entered the period of Chinese New Year, I thought I'd share this lovely recipe adapted by me from several books. I have said 1 breast /person but if you are going to make a stir fried vegetables, noodles and or rice as side dishes, then you can economise on that. Also this works well with pork chops or chicken. This is an easy one for the slow cooker and you get to come home to a DELICIOUS cooked meal! You could chop all the veg the night before to save time in the morning and it'll only take 10 mins to put together. If you don't have a slow cooker -- do yourself a favour and get one.  I'd be lost without mine.

Sweet 'n Sour Duck
tbs plain flour to coat
a duck breast per person
2 onions chopped
1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
2 pineapple rings or some chunks
2 inches celery finely chopped

half a cup each of
tomato puree
pineapple juice
vegetable stock
vermouth or dry sherry
soy sauce 
and a few twists of black pepper




Heat a frying pan to HOT and place the duck breasts skin side down on the pan so all the fat comes out and they brown -- or coat the meat in flour and fry in a little oil. Place the meat in the slow cooker. Brown the onion, celery and garlic too. Add the wet ingredients and bring to the boil. Pour over the duck. Put the lid on and cook on low for 5 - 8 hours.


(or you could use a casserole dish in the oven) (150 -- 2 - 3 hours)

Serve with boiled rice. Oh and a good tip is to use the absorption method of cooking rice. Boil roughly twice as much water to rice. Put the rice in when it's bubbling fast. Put on a lid and turn off the heat. The rice cooks by itself in 10-15 minutes and all the water is absorbed and you save on fuel! Some people say to rinse the rice first. I never do. All that lovely starch makes for perfect glutinous Chinese style rice that sticks together :)