This is one of my favourite recent inventions, rustic and hearty it really satisfies. It has quickly become a weekday staple as it is very easy to cook, takes about 40 minutes, serve with a bit of bread to mop up the sauces. Don’t worry about being precious about quantities or timing this really is a flexible recipe.

Ingredients

3/400g brown lentils
Clove garlic
Onion
Tin of toms
2 rounds of rinded goats cheese (70-100g each - can use single 200g cheese cut in half)
4-6 small potatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Olive oil
Bay leaf & Paprika & Thyme/Basil
S&P

Serves 2 generously

1 Put the lentils on to boil (20 minutes)
2 Chop onions and fry gently in big deep pan
3 Peel pots and put into boiling lentil pan for last 10 minutes
4 Crush garlic and add to onion pan with tom paste, cook for a minute
5 Add tinned toms (wash out tin with about half water and add to pan), bay leaf, thyme/basil (if using fresh basil add at the end), S&P
6 Once lentil and pot pan has boiled for 20 minutes drain and add to stew pan
7 Cover and simmer for 15 minutes
8 Preheat grill - 5 minutes before end pop goats cheeses under to warm and turn a little toasted
9 Serve stew with a warmed goats cheese on top, freshly torn basil (if using), a hunk of bread and a sturdy red

Enjoy!

In last week’s veg box were the small knobbly fists I have heard of but never tried, Jerusalem artichokes.

Everything I have ever read about these ball roots has opened with ‘they aren’t from Jerusalem and they aren’t artichokes’ but has never mentioned that they may not be either of these things but they do TASTE like artichokes, hence the name.

Cleared it up for me anyway…

PS They are actually delicious roasted, just treat like a parsnip.

Welcome to my new foodie blog, where I’ll post recipes (podcasting some so you can listen while you cook) and all the interesting food stuff that comes into my view.

A couple of years ago I had an idea for a website, one that would allow me to pursue my foodie passion - of course time and London being what they are I never managed to get past the thinking and talking stage. Then last October I started an MA in web design and my thesis project (due in June 09)  offers me the perfect opportunity to create this site…

A site for urban foodies like me, London/city dwellers who love food and cooking, care about where it comes from but don’t live in a River Cottage with endless time and funds or access to nettles that haven’t had dogs or car fumes at them. I hope, with your help, to create a place where we can share recipes, get food news and meet foodie friends.

The core function will be a recipe database - I know there are many others but this one will be deeper and wider than any of those - plus there will be a wealth of other fun, informative, useful food information and a forum for people to get together. Beyond that I have my ideas but I see the site developing in whatever ways its members want it to.

 Of course this is a long way off from this blog, but as Lao Tzu said:

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step“

And this is mine.

I’d love it if you could join me on my journey, feel free to add comments along the way, or just bookmark this site and come back in a few months to see how it has grown.

For now, that’s me, take care.

Mia, Urban Foodie