so … Lilith (again)

We went into town for a couple of bits on Saturday morning, and while we were brunching in Leonardos (mot much to see at that site, move along), my phone rang. An unrecognised number, but a Hull one, so I answered it.

“Do you have a little cream cat with three legs?” – dear god, not again, I thought, please let nothing have happened to her. But not, she was hanging around outside a house towards the end of the road, and they were kind enough to phone. I’m sure people do this because she is a three-legged monster, but I’m very glad that they do take the trouble.

I explained that she is a roamer, and asked them please not to let her in, or feed her, and she would lurch home in her own good time, and of course, thanked them for taking the trouble. But, of course, she didn’t lurch home. We didn’t see her for the rest of Saturday, nor overnight, nor on Sunday morning. I went out calling for her in the morning, but no sign. So we went to do the shopping, and I thought I’d give this kind person a call when I got back.

And of course, there she was on the bed, curled up with Ron, looking as baleful as ever. She was very hungry, so Lord knows where she’d been this time. I do wish she wouldn’t do this.

 

Mirrored from the Tribe.

barley and butternut squash risotto

image from Real Foods

 

I’ve been meaning to try this for ages, so here you go.

1 cup barley (you should strictly speaking, use pearl, but I used what was in the cupboard, and it was fine)
1 butternut squash, peeled (ugh) and diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 cups water
1 chicken stock cube (or use stock, if you have it handy)
1 shallot, finely sliced
some thyme, fresh or dried
about ½ small glass white wine (or cider would work, or vermouth)
some feta cheese (optional)
seasoning

Soften the shallot and garlic in a little oil or butter, add the thyme, (or sage, in our case, as Pete had a mad moment and picked the wrong herb from the garden),  and then the barley. Cook  until the grains are toasted.

Put that in a slow cooker on high, add the squash and the water/stock cube, bit of salt and black pepper.  Leave well alone for 4-5 hours.  At that point, I thought it looked a bit dry, which is when I added the wine, and ⅓ of a block of feta cut into cubes, and left it for another hour or so.

Feel free to garnish with flat leaf parsley; having sallied up the road to buy a huge bunch (because the Indian and Continental don’t sell small ones), I completely forgot, so will have to think of something else to use it up.

Very nice indeed., and a great alternative to a rice risotto for those of us who aren’t supposed to eat many carbs. Um.

This was supposed to feed three; it fed two greedy folk, with a bit left over, which went into the soup pot.

 

Mirrored from Reactive Cooking.