1. Put the vinegar, sugar, garlic, thyme, pepper and salt into a saucepan and dissolve over a gentle heat. Once dissolved turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes, strain through a sieve and pour into bottles or jars to store. 2. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3 months, once opened store in the fridge. notes notes
vegetarian
Homemade balsamic syrup
Makes: approx 250ml Cooked: on the hob
250ml balsamic vinegar 1 clove garlic grated 250g preserving sugar( see notes) 1 teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon salt 10 grinds black pepper
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
1. Put the vinegar, sugar, garlic, thyme, pepper and salt into a saucepan and dissolve over a gentle heat. Once dissolved turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes, strain through a sieve and pour into bottles or jars to store. 2. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3 months, once opened store in the fridge. notes notes
This is a wonderful take on a balsamic syrup, the garlic and thyme add buckets of flavour and this is turns a good starter into a great starter. Fabulous to use as a dipping sauce with bread pre-dinner if you want to treat your guests!
You must use preserving sugar, as it is the pectin that makes this syrup thick.
Preserving sugar is a course sugar mixed with pectin( usually apple pectin). Pectin is a natural thickener and it is what makes jam set. It is this that will make the syrup syrupy so you cannot use ordinary sugar in this recipe. The French are big jam makers and in the sugar section or sometimes the home baking section you will find bags of sugar with pictures of jam on the front. Look in the ingredients for pectin( same word in French) and so you have found your jam / preserving sugar.
vegetarian
Lentil and ale hotpot
Serves: 2 Cooked: on the hob
½ onion chopped
1 medium carrot, washed and diced finely
½ stick celery, diced finely 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
75g dried Puy style lentils( small grey / green lentils)
150ml beer / lager 250ml water ½ vegetable stock cube 1 bay leaf
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1½ hours
1 teaspoon tomato purée 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 2-3 pieces dried wild mushrooms 1 teaspoon plain flour 25g butter for the potato top:
2 large potatoes, washed but not peeled
25g butter salt and pepper
1. Put the onion, celery, carrot into a saucepan with the oil and put a tight fitting lid. Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not brown. 2. Add the beer, water, lentils, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, bay leaf, mushrooms, stock cube and bring to the boil seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down and allow this to simmer for 1 hour. 3. Remove from the heat and add the butter and allow the fat to melt and come to the surface and sprinkle the flour over in a fine layer. Wait until it has gone translucent as it soaks into the fat then stir it in, re-boil. Taste and adjust seasoning. 5. Cook the potato as in the lamb recipe, divide the stew between two terracottas and top with cooked potato to re-heat as the lamb version. sunday dietary requirements:
vegetarian: OK
vegan: NO, omit butter
dairy free: No, as vegan
nut free: OK
gluten free: NO, omit beer and add more water if needed, omit plain flour and thicken with corn flour instead
To serve: top the potato with chopped fresh parsley and serve on dinner plates offering the sides for the guests to help themselves.