Wet Wet Wet,
No, not the band… the weather!
Snow has gone and done what it does best, delivered a wonderful steady release of moisture into the land. Problem is that now we have to be very careful getting around without rutting. To make this more difficult it is now raining. Back in England growing up we always laughed at farmers because it was always too dry, or too wet. When it was dry and the rain came it was “the wrong sort of rain” These days I don’t laugh, I watch the overflow from the pond intently…
I feel my “hibernation” inching to an end. I am renewed and full of energy to get going with the year. Winter is an important time for us on the farm. We are exhausted physically, mentally, and somewhat emotionally come the start. We then use the forced time inside due to the low temperature and the long dark hours to unwind, relax, and go through the data that has been gathered. This is our time to plan and renew, I can’t help but think a sauna might help things along but we haven’t gotten around to that…yet.
The old way of looking at the end of the year and the beginning of the new one was that you should enter winter tired and rich and leave it energized and poor.
Oh hey! As I sit here thinking about winter my mind turned to the awesome food! I don’t know about you but the fall/winter food is so comforting and feels even more wholesome. Anyway, I’m going to share one of my favorite recipes with you. It’s made even better if you can make the sausage with your Berryton Grange Farm Pork to use in it or even the bacon too. If you’d like to do either of these just ask. I’m always delighted to help people make the most of our bounty. Here you are,
Sausage and Lentil Supper
Serves 4, Prep time is 20 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 good plump pork sausages
5 ounces of bacon
1 onion
1 Large carrot
1 Large stick of celery
10 1/2 ounces of dried green lentils
1 3/4 pints of chicken stock or bone broth (Ask Sally how she makes hers)
2 bay leaves
1 good handful of finely chopped parsley (don’t miss this as it really adds to the dish!)
Warm the oil in a deep, heavy casserole. Put the sausages in first to brown, then remove them to a plate. Next add the bacon and let it cook over a medium heat heat so that it colors lightly, please don’t let it crisp. Meanwhile, peel the onion and chop it finely and add it to the bacon. Peel and cut the carrot and celery into a rough dice and stir them into the onion letting them soften a little. Don’t let them color.
Tip in the lentils, pour over the stock or broth, then tuck in the bay leaves and the sausages, cut into short lengths if you prefer, and bring the casserole to the boil. Turn it down so that the liquid simmers gently, season, then leave it for 30 minutes stirring from time to time.
Check the seasoning - personally I like it on the peppery side which is how it was recommended to me years ago - stir in the parsley just before serving.
Great the same day but even better the next, gives it time to mature, let me know what you think in the comments below.
Enjoy!