FARM NOTES
Sundays in the winter are for chainsawing and cleaning up the “back 5”! As I’ve talked about in previous posts, the back part of our property is semi-wooded and a bit wild, and we’re in the process of clearing some downed trees so that we can have the area bush hogged. We bush hog about twice a year, to keep this area in check from invasive plants like japanese stiltgrass and privet. I’ve accepted that unless we do an extensive application of roundup (something that I’m simply not willing to do), we will pretty much always be fighting invasive plants on our property. In the next year or two, we’d like to set up this space to have a few pigs each season, but in the meantime we will keep it wild and love that it is home to so much wildlife – from all kinds of birds to snakes, pollinators, insects, fungi, etc.
BEFORE
AFTER
KITCHEN NOTES
Sundays are also for soup! This week’s #sundaysoup is inspired by my time working for Flagstone Pantry in Santa Barbara, a sweet little gourmet to-go spot where pretty much everything was scratch-made with whole, nourishing ingredients. It was a mostly female-run kitchen (which is very rare and very refreshing), and the owner, Kristen, taught me so much about running your own food business with attention to detail and integrity. Kristen has a wonderful website with over 400 (!) recipes for apps, salads, soups, sides, mains, and desserts that are all seriously delicious (and good for you)… go check it out!
There was always a rotation of scratch-made soups every day at Flagstone Pantry, and this Lentil Soup was always once of my favorites. It’s a humble, filling soup that is pretty darn easy to whip up, and you can easily make it vegan by using veggie broth and leaving out the sausage. Makes around 12 cups of soup.
LENTIL SOUP
Ingredients
1/2 pound brown lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry thyme or rosemary, crushed
2 cups celery (5-6 stalks), finely diced
2 cups carrots (4-6 carrots), finely diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste (about half of a 6oz can)
6 cups chicken or veggie broth
2-3 pre-cooked sausages, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Parmesan rind and freshly grated Parmesan, for serving, optional
Instructions
Rinse lentils in a strainer and pick out any debris. Set aside.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and thyme for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender.
Add the celery, carrots and tomato paste. Mix to combine. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and lentils. If you’re adding a Parmesan rind to the soup, add it now. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add the sausage and vinegar and simmer until heated through. Remove the Parmesan rind (if using). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed (I usually add some more salt). Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
TODAY’S STATS
Low temp: 30F
High temp: 48F
Sunrise: 7:26am
Sunset: 5:28pm
Moon phase: Waxing Crescent
Additional notes: Cold and sunny in the AM, becoming more cloudy in the afternoon.