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bottom drawer challenge results
I have not done proper groceries in about 3 weeks. Why? Challenge. Bottom drawer challenge. I want to eat what I already have,  so I have been buying only what I need for the challenge. I am loving it!

Last week, I looked into the fridge  and my heart sank. After making soup for three weeks I was out of everything, even onion… I had radishes and potatoes and little else. But then, a flash of genius. The heavens parted. Cherubs fluttered down holding gilded harps. I remembered a post on Pinterest about roasted radishes (here) and decided to go on an adventure.

I am not a lover of radishes, but as for many foods these days, I am teaching myself to like them. Here's the thing though, people. Roasting radishes turns them into a sweet juicy piece of heaven. I promise, this is worth trying.

Ingredients

  • a bag of radishes, rinsed and pared
  • an equal amount of small yellow potatoes, rinsed and pared
  • a splash of olive oil
  • fresh garlic, minced
  • herbs and spices to taste

Method

So this is what I did:
I put the radishes and potatoes in a bowl. 
Then I added the garlic and spices that I was in the mood for (in this case: caraway seeds, black peppercorn, a touch of cumin seeds and salt).
I mixed it all up with a splash of olive oil and then poured everything into a pyrex. 
The important part here is not to over crowd the pan so the radishes and potatoes can get that nice roasted colour and texture.
I roasted at 350 F for… well I can't say how long because I didn't check. I just used intuition: I roasted them until I could pierce them easily with a fork, and the colour was delightful.

In the future, I would serve this as a side dish with fowl.
Post by: Andi
 
When my mother-in-law came to visit a few years ago, there was only ONE dish I wanted to learn how to make: Red Lentil Soup. This is a traditional soup so simple to make you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. This is also the perfect intro dish for anyone who doesn't love pulses or has never given them a real chance.

Cooking hack: For a purely vegetarian dish, substitute chicken broth/cubes for water, and salt to taste.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of dried red lentils
  • 7 cups of chicken broth (or cubes in proportional amounts to 7 cups of water)
  • 1 medium-large onion, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 table spoons of olive oil
  • 2 table spoons of white rice, uncooked (I used basmati rice)
  • lemon to serve

Method

Post by: Andi
Wash lentils in cold water. Do this a few times until the water is relatively clear.

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Sauté minced onions until transparent. 
Add lentils and stir. 
Add broth (or water), bay leaves and bring to a boil. 
Add rice, stir and simmer partly covered on minimum until lentils and rice have almost completely dissolved, approximately 25 minutes. 
Stir occasionally while simmering to prevent sticking, as the soup will thicken.

The rice must be so over cooked that it is almost unnoticeable. Its purpose is to give the soup a creamy texture.

Serve with a spritz of fresh lemon.