With the rising costs of food in Canada this winter it would be a good idea to concentrate on making dishes with ingredients produced closer to home.
As for tomatoes in the winter, if you must buy them be prepared for little taste or nutrition. Better to use home-canned tomatoes or Canadian processed brands and add them to stews, soups and pasta dishes.
Always have some basic vegetables in your fridge — such as onions, carrots, celery and garlic — as they can form the base for so many different dishes.
This is the season for comfort foods and today I have an amazing lentil soup filled with crispy bacon, vegetables and creamy beans; it’s sure to be a winner. And what could be a better dessert than an apple pie. This one is an upside down caramel apple pie that is perfect for any winter night.
Store Cupboard Lentil Soup
Olive oil
6 rashers of bacon, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 dried chili, crumbled
2 red onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
200 g dried lentils, a mixture of green and red
1 organic vegetable stock cube, optional
1 liter vegetable stock or water
410 g tinned cannellini beans, drained
Extra virgin olive oil
A few sprigs fresh chopped parsley
Place a large saucepan (with a lid) on medium heat. Add a lug of olive oil and the bacon. Fry slowly until the bacon has started to release all its tasty fat and goes crispy, then add the dried thyme, dried chili, onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook gently with the lid on for about 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, then add the lentils and 1 litre water or vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the lentils are soft. (Check the packet instructions as different types of lentils vary in cooking time. If you’re mixing your lentils, cook for the longest amount of time to make sure they are all cooked properly.)
Add the tin of cannellini beans and, if the soup’s a little thick, some more water. Bring back to the boil and simmer for another 10 minutes, then taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Feel free to purée or half-purée the soup, or leave it all chunky, depending on how you like it.
Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped parsley. Serve with hunks of bread.
Note: to make this soup extra special, add a few dried porcini mushrooms.
Upside Down Caramel Apple Pie
1 pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crusts, and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice; set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; spread in bottom of a 9-inch pie dish (glass or ceramic works best). Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cover with one pie crust.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Arrange half of the apples in pastry-lined plate. Sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with remaining pie crust, fold top edge under, and crimp. Cut a few slits in the top to vent steam.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Loosen edge of pie, and carefully invert pie onto a serving dish. Serve warm. Delicious.
