Sunday 11 December 2011

Food, glorious food.



This time of the year we need 'hearty' food to keep us warm - well that's my excuse anyway.
So yesterday, while the farmer was out shooting, I made a pan of really hearty soup. It was a new recipe - from January's issue of Country Living magazine, which came this week. Obviously, I can't give you the recipe as that would be breaking copyright but I can tell you that it had mixed diced vegetables, snipped bacon, stock, borlotti beans and savoy cabbage thinly sliced. By the time the farmer came in at half past three, the kitchen smelt delicious and after he had walked the dogs we had a bowl full each and it did live up to its promise. Luckily I had a parmesan rind in my cheese box in the fridge and I added that - it is always worth doing as it gives soup such a lovely flavour.

There is some left for today but we are having stuffed rolled breast of lamb slow-cooked in the oven, so I have decided to drain off the liquid from the remaining soup and add it to the gravy and then heat the 'soup' that is left and serve the lamb on a bed of it. And yes - I have been watching Master Chef The Professionals last week, so this aims to be my go at 'fine dining' - time will tell and I will keep you informed!

At last my pullets (born, if you remember, in mid-June) have started to lay eggs. Yesterday saw the first offering - you will see its size from the photograph of it sitting by a 'proper' egg. Pretty tiny I think you will agree - but it is the first offering and I thank them for it. That is six months almost to the day since they were born and they have had to be fed all that time, so you will see that hens are never profitable to keep these days - it is just that I love to see them about the place and I love those golden yolks as they scratch about the fields and eat the grass. Also it is lovely to be able to give special friends some eggs when they call.

Speaking of friends - one of them has died this week. He was 91 and has been in poor health for some time, but I have been thinking back to the time when we used to have nice picnics on another friend's lawn (remember those times M?) - the death of a friend leaves a gap in ones life whatever their age is.

Keep warm.

14 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

I get Country Living too so will hunt out this recipe. My Auntie Dot had a fantastic soup recipe which I have never been able to re-create. I love soups of all description and now have the urge to make some. Talking of eggs - I too have just had a wonderful breakfast thanks to our hens. A lovely egg on a hash brown. The hashbrown is my own recipe of a small amount of left over mashed potato mixed with an egg then cooked. Glorious with another egg on top!

Heather said...

Sad to hear of your friend's passing and you are so right about the gap it leaves. 91 is a good age to reach but only if one is in good health.
Your babies have grown up! Lovely to be able to collect eggs from your own hens, even if they are a bit of a luxury.
You don't need Masterchef - that soup looks delicious and I bet the lamb will be too. I made soup this morning but nothing as superior as yours - I will look for that recipe.

Dave King said...

Lovely post, as always. Yes, the death of a friend does leave a gap, an unfillable gap. Trouble is, at a certain time of life, it happens all too often.

Arija said...

So sorry about the loss of your friend. We have hardly any left.
I agree with you Pat, I too love to have chickens around. They may be utterly hen-witted but they are so restful with their scratching about. Someone gave my granddaughter a gander so our one remaining goose will no longer be lonely. The promptly left the barnyard and are happily cavorting in the dam in the park . . . good luck to them!

Irene said...

That soup sounds awfully good, especially this time of the year in this cold weather. Suddenly I'm craving soup. I'll have to see if I have any.

Anonymous said...

Losing a friend does, indeed, leave a gap but you have to think of all the good times you had together.

I'm amazed that you are starting to get eggs at this time of year!

I used to use breast of lamb such a lot in the 70s, it was about all we could afford and it was so cheap at the time. I don't suppose it is cheap now.

I haven't read my CL properly yet but will look out for the soup recipe, thank you for the nudge.

Eryl said...

Sorry to hear about the death of your friend. I haven't quite reached the age of dying friends, though I do have a good variety of ages, and am hoping it's a way off yet.

The soup sounds delicious, as does the lamb, and I look forward to hearing how your combination goes.

Everything Changes said...

Enjoyed your post!

Cait O'Connor said...

I found your blog via George's and I have added it to my blogs to re-visit as it is so interesting.
Sorry to hear of your friend's passing, I too lost an elderly friend just recently, it does leave a gap indeed.

Dartford Warbler said...

Sorry to hear that you have lost a dear friend.

Your soup looks very good. I try to make a big pan of soup every week now and ring the changes with whatever veggies I have around.

MorningAJ said...

I don't think I've ever followed a recipe for soup. (In fact I rarely follow recipes for anything - do you remember that Oxo advert about 'Chinese pork and bamboo shoot surprise'?) It sounds excellent though.

The Weaver of Grass said...

The soup was delicious - the breast of lamb less so as it was so very fatty. The farmer and I have got to the age where fatty food does not agree with us, so I shall not try that one again. But the soup will become a regular one as it was so good. Thank you for contributing to my blog.

Bovey Belle said...

Good hearty soup. I make a similar one - the sort you can stand a spoon up in and you know when you've eaten it!

Sorry to hear of your friend's death and I agree about the gap left. Our nearest neighbour died in September aged 87 and she was the hub of our community so leaves a very big hole indeed . . .

Cloudia said...

very true and worthy post. thank you for sharing what matters. . .



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