Rainy Days

I know that rainy days are inevitable and that we do need the rain, especially down here where we get precious little of it. Last year we had drought conditions and hose pipe bans. This year we have flooding and too much rain, although to be fair we've been pretty lucky right where we are, there's been no real flooding. We sit up fairly high and so we are pretty safe here.

I look out my kitchen window and everything looks so dismal and grey ... the rosebushes windblown and the grass is full of leaves which have fallen from the trees. Jess is inconsolable. She wants nothing more but to go out and run about the garden, rain or no ... but alas we have not the energy to fulfill her hopes and dreams and so she lays in the corner, every few minutes she utters a sigh of total disgust, so much for the dog days of August. Tis a soup day to be
sure . . . and even that will dissappoint her , for there'll be no tidbits leftover afterwards for her to munch on . . .




*Turnip and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup*
Serves 4

A delicious heart warming soup. Perfect for rainy days. The flavours go so well together. You can keep it vegetarian or dress it up by adding bacon, croutons, cream or all three! Really though, it’s delicious all on it’s own. Rainy day comfort in a bowl . . .


2 medium onions, chopped
1 TBS olive oil
1 small swede, peeled and chopped
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and chopped (drop into acidulated water as you feel them to keep them from turning colour)
4 ounces split red lentils
2 pints vegetable stock (I use marigold)
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for several minutes, stirring. Add the chopped swede and artichokes, stirring to coat them in the oil, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, then pop the lid on, reduce the heat to low and let them sweat for about 5 minutes, stirring several times to keep them from sticking. (you may have to add a bit of stock)

Rinse the lentils and add them to the vegetables along with the stock and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for about 25 minutes longer or until the lentils and vegetables are tender.

Remove the bay leaf and puree with a stick blender or in your food processor or liquidizer. (always be very careful doing this) You can either make it really smooth, or leave it a bit chunky, it’s up to you. I, myself, like it smooth and velvety.

Season to taste and serve with crusty bread. This is when you’d add the croutons, bacon crumbles or a dollop of cream if you wished.

While we are at it we might as well make a delicious dessert to go along with the soup. I've got a lovely punnet of purple plums on the counter that are almost past it. They are begging to be made into a crumble or maybe this delicious pudding . . .



*Plum Streusal*
Serves 4

I love this warm pudding. Over here in the UK dessert is calling pudding. This is comfy and delicious. The perfect way to use up that glut of egg shaped delights!

1 large egg
1/2 cup light muscovado sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
40 small purple plums, sliced in half and pitted
StreusalTopping:
1/2 cup light muscovado sugar
2 TBS plain flour
3 TBS butter, melted
1 TBS chinese five spice powder
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and broken into pieces

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly butter a 9 inch square glass dish and set it aside.

Cream together the butter and the muscovado sugar. Beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until smooth. It will be a loose batter.

Mix together the topping ingredients , the sugar, flour, five spice powder and cloves. Add the walnuts and melted butter, mixing until crumbly.

Place half the plums in the buttered baking dish. Pour half the batter over. Top with half the streusal topping. Repeat once more, ending up with streusal on top.

Bake in the heated oven for 1 hour, or until golden brown. Serve warm with custard or vanilla ice cream.

More than makes up for the rain . . .