Red Pottage Food

MEDIEVAL POTTAGE STEW

Steps:

• Peel and chop all vegetables
• Add carrots, parsnips, onions, and turnips to a large stew pot with about 1/4 cup veg broth
• Saute for 10 minutes or until softened
• Add mushrooms, leeks, cabbage, and beans and simmer for an additional 5 minutes
• Add broth, seasoning, and wine and stir well
• Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Stir in barley and oats and continue simmering, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes or until grains are cooked
• Stir in vinegar, remove bay leaf, adjust seasonings, and serve

TURKISH LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large thick bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the oil, onion and carrot. Sauté, stirring regularly, until softened but not coloured, 8-10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste and sugar. Fry, stirring constantly, until aromas fill your kitchen and the tomato and pepper pastes have been cooked through and mixed well with the other ingredients, 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and give it all a good stir.
• Add the water and season to taste with salt and pepper. The amount of water is for a fairly thin Turkish-style soup. Reduce the amount to 1 ltrs for a thicker version. Bring to a boil, pop on a lid and turn the heat down to low. Leave to simmer until the lentils are cooked through and starting to fall apart, around 15 minutes.
• Whizz with a stick blender (or regular blender, making sure not to overfill it). Leave off the heat for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter (or extra virgin olive oil) in a small pan or pot until melted and bubbling (or hot, in the case of the oil). Take off the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper.
• Serve the soup warm with a spoonful of chili butter as well as a sprinkling of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, if you like. And don't forget a squeeze of lemon juice.

RED POTTAGE

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. Drain well.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan, add beans and vegetables. Saute gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add stock (or water) and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skimming if necessary. Simmer at least 3 hours, or until the beans are mushy.
• Remove and discard any portions of the beet slices, and pass the mixture through a sieve, to make a smooth textured soup.
• Serve hot, garnished with mint.