Stock

When it's cold and damp outside a hearty soup or warming risotto may be the only way to go but both of these, and many a good dish, require stock.

Marigold boullion powder is highly recommended but I am now a proponent of fresh stock, not least because it's a brilliant way to use up dying veg instead of binning them and it freezes really well. It used to scare me and seemed an ancient mystery known only to chefs but marrying one helped decode the process and the clue is simply this: think like a pig!

By that I mean(almost)any scraps are fine cuisine, so I made a stock this week using the following...

half a leek (including all the old green top)
a bendy carrot
four sticks of very bendy celery
three slightly wrinkly button mushrooms
the skin of an onion (yes all the brown papery stuff)
the skin of a garlic bulb (as above but the white papery stuff!)
a glove of garlic
two bay leaves
6 pepper corns
and a big old pan of water

bring to the boil and simmer for as long as you can but not so long all the liquid vanishes! (About and hour and a half I guess but even 30 mins is worth it).

Cabbage is best left out it adds a sulpherous note that's not really welcome, like wise peppers or anything slimey aren't great. Parsley is good especially the stalks. Obviously this is a veggie one but if you have any bones left over from your meat stick them in - no offal it goes a bit bitter (Mr Flower says so).

This went into a leek and goats cheese with chive risotto and very lovely it was too.

Pre Christmas Dinner

Our neighbours are off for a family Christmas in Oz so we're saying bon voyage to them tonight...that is if my husband and one of them manage to make it home from London! They are both stuck on delayed trains somewhere in the capital - the joys of commuting.

Anyway, dinner has been wonderfully prepared by my better half and assuming they're home in time to still want to eat we'll be having Italian Sausage and Chesnut Casserole.

Serves 8

1tbs olive oil
3x400g pack of Pork and herb sausages
250g shallots peeled and left whole
200g smoked lardons (bacon bits I didn't know what that was either!)
700g passata (or chopped tomatoes)
350g tub Fresh napoletana sauce (or more chopped tomatoes)
2x 200g jars of Sierra Rica Organic Chesnuts (suspect another make would do but these are heavenly)
3 sprigs rosemary

In a large ovenproof casserole dish heat the oil and fry off sausages for 4-5 minutes until brown all over. Remove and set to one side. Add shallots to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, then add lardons and cook for further 2-3 minutes stirring continuously.

Return sausaages to the pan along with passata and napoletana sauce, 250ml cold water, the chesnuts, rosemary and seasoning. Mix well and bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Recipe is made on stove top but can be made in advance, to reheat put in the oven at 180 degrees C/gas mark 4 for 25 mins.

Real comfort food along with a big dollop of mash and some greens, just the thing after a crummy commute.

Swede and Cumin soup

This is what came about when we had some odds and ends in the fridge and decided to try and make them into lunch. The cumin was a late addition (about five minutes before serving) but made the meal. This recipe includes croutons and cheese which convert it into a whole meal in itself but it works just fine without as a wintery starter (as recommended by Mike and Catherine next door).
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 a swede
1/2 an onion
1/2 a carrot
1 pint of vegetable stock
(I use Swiss Bouillon powder as recommended by Little-Flower)
2 cloves of garlic
cumin
cause-ground pepper
salt
slightly stale bread
olive oil
cheese
more pepper

Chop up the onion and garlic nice and small, dice the swede and carrots, put in a pan and cover with stock. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Boil for 30 minutes.

Cut the bread into croutons, mix in a bowl with a good lot of oil and salt (and a little powdered garlic) to taste. Put in the oven til they begin to brown (10mins?)

Stick some cumin into the soup and blend it in the pan (thanks for that tip LF). Test for seasoning.

Add the croutons, grate a load of your favourite cheese on top and stick it under a hot grill til the cheese is well melted. Top off with more pepper if that's your thing.

Yum, yum.