Weekend...All creatures great and small and accidentally Vegan and Gluten/Dairy Free Leek and Portobello Mushroom Risotto.

Tap, tap, tap..."It sounds like someone's playing with the old typewriter on the landing upstairs," I said.  "There's nobody upstairs," he replied. 

"Mmm...Curious," we muttered in unison. Then went upstairs to investigate...There was the typewriter on the landing floor but no ghostly fingers striking the keys. The tapping sound was coming from the opposite corner, by the window. We soon spied the secret intruder. It was one of the little swifts that live in the eaves. He'd somehow flown inside and trapped himself between the window pane and some tools. Eek...it's tiny head caught between the glass and a small saw blade. His little wings drumming on the glass in an attempt to escape. Thankfully it wasn't the blade side of the saw, but still...EEK...he was so delicate. Ahmad carefully eased him out and lifted him up from the tools to fly away through the open window...safe and sound...

That may not have been the last we saw of our tiny house guest.  Later, we were driving back from a farm down a narrow hedged lane a few miles away. We'd been collecting cherries kindly given by the generous local farmer. Big dark juicy ones to make wine and all ready picked. I spied a bird in front of us...He was flying unusually low along the tunnel of the narrow lane. He turned off to the side for a second to land on a branch as if he was waiting for us. But then he took flight again. Flying low in front of the car...As if he was leading us along the road as I drove, swooping up and down in a kind of salute...Honestly cross my heart...

...I think it might have been our little swift just saying thank you...

...don't you? 

I like to think so...

This is some scrumptious comfort food that I made at the weekend...creamy and unctuous without even a hint of gluten or dairy...

Leek and Portobello mushroom risotto (accidentally vegan)

Ingredients for two large portions or four small:

• Four medium sized Portobello mushrooms
• One cup measurement of arborio (risotto rice)
• One leek
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A pint of hot vegetable stock
• Garlic - lots, about five of six cloves
• A heavy based sauce or frying pan

Method:

1. Remove the outer skin from the leek, top and tail and then cut down the centre. Cut each half into small slices and wash thoroughly.
2. Poor a little olive oil into the pan and warm on the hob. Add the leeks and begin to sauté. 
3. Season and add the mushrooms, mix well and continue to cook. 
4. Peel and crush the garlic and add. Mixing again. Mixing well so that all the flavours amalgomate. Add the seasoning and the cup of rice.
5. Allow the rice to cook a little combining all the ingredients. 
6. Add the vegetable stock little buy little stirring. Continue to do this until the vegetables are tender and the rice has absorbed all the stock, is tender but still has a little bit to it.

Serve while still nice and warm. This accidentally vegan supper is comforting and delicious served just as it comes. But you may like to add a nob of butter or grating of parmesan if you like dairy. 

nb arborio is naturally gluten free but if you have an allergy remember to check that the rice is produced in an environment where products containing gluten may be...

joining Karen for weekends

the elan valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't believe how beautiful this valley is. It's mustard and rust, bracken and heather, burnt umber, yellow ochre and flint grey. The rocks echo the colours of the plants. Photoshopped by sunlight and minerals. It's earthy and ancient. We look for fossils in the slate. Listen to the wind that whips the shrubs and makes the water lap against the stones. We walk the reservoir's circumference, careful not to slip in. I imagine gold panning, sleeping in a log cabin; drinking coffee from a rusty metal cup and eating beans baked over a driftwood fire. 

Then we find another one edged with woods of dark green conifers. A central island, a pearl drop of Christmas trees. This time it's brown bears that I visualise, and canoes paddled in the lake dug by men only a hundred years ago. 

Another one, the blue carpet crossed by an arched stone bridge, bound with calm pistachio green hills. Different again. A ewe with her lamb wanders along the path in front of us. She stop dead and comforts her nervous offspring letting the scared baby suckle whilst we wait patiently to pass by. 

We spent half a day but could have stayed for a month. We'll be back soon. It's just across the border, a half hour drive. Another country. It seems like a million miles away...