VULO ANYONE?

Everyone seems to enjoy a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter's day. This is the kind of soup that warms you when you return home from the bitter cold. Gorean soul food - you'll need both a knife and fork for the tantalizing chicken and a spoon for the savoury broth. Serve this dish steaming hot so that it can work its magic.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken, cut into sections
1 good handful of pearl barley
2 carrots, thoroughly scrubbed
1 or 2 parsnips, peeled
2 large leeks (we are using a combination of leeks and onions because the leeks are tougher and will play the part of the vegetable... the onions are an aromatic and will fall apart in the broth)
1 large onion (or 3 smaller ones), peeled
herbs (use your imagination or try this combination - a few bay leaves, 3 or 4 sprigs of thyme and a couple of sage leaves)
4 small to medium potatoes
1 small bunch of parsley
a little fat (dripping, butter or olive oil)
1 very large, deep oven-proof pan with a lid

1. Simmer the barley in a pan of salted water until tender - about 20 minutes or so. Taste it to check and then drain it.

2. Lightly brown the chicken in the fat in a large, deep ovenproof pan, over a moderately high heat. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.

3. While the chicken is browning, cut the carrot and parsnip into large chunks. Cut the leek, after thoroughly scrubbing it free of grit which gets between the layers) into short lengths. Cut the onion into half and then into large segments. Once the chicken is out of the pan, add the vegetables. Turn them in the fat and let them soften a bit; be careful, you do not want them to colour.

4. In another pan, bring enough water to the boil to cover the chicken. Set the oven at 180C/350F/gas mark 4. (that should take care of any types of ovens out there!)

5. Keep the vegetables in their pan and drain every bit of oil from the pan. This will keep you from having to remove the fat later. Return the chicken to the pan with the pearl barley and pour over the hot water.

6. Season with salt and some black pepper.

7. Slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch thickness and lay them over the top of the chicken and vegetables. (Peeling is optional - there really is no need to peel them if you scrub them well first.)

8. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 90 minutes. The chicken and vegetables will be mouth-watering tender. Remove the lid, turn up the heat to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and leave for another 30 minutes so that the potatoes will colour a bit.

9. Remove carefully from the oven - the pan will be very full and hot. Scrape off any floating oil from the top.

10. Chop the parsley and sink it into the broth. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning by adding a bit more salt and pepper if necessary.

11. Spoon the chicken, vegetables, barley and plenty of the broth into large, shallow bowls. Scatter with flakes of sea salt and pass around the pepper mill.

Serve with some warm, crusty bread and lots of butter.

SOUL-SOOTHING GOOEY CHOCOLATE PUDDINGS

Ingredients:

200g (7 oz) Nestle fine dark Continental chocolate
100g (3 1/2 oz) Butter
2 tbsp Rum
2 tbsp Nescafe Espresso coffee
2 medium Eggs
150g (5 oz) Caster Sugar
25g (1 oz) plain four
25g (1 oz) ground almonds
Whipped crème
Red currants

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.

2. Grease six 150 ml (5 fl oz) ramekins (individual baking dishes)

3. Melt the chocolate with the butter, rum and espresso coffee in a pan over low heat.

4. Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and creamy; the whisk should leave a trail in the mixture.

5. Sift the flour over the whisked mixture and carefully fold in, along with the almonds and melted chocolate mixture.

6. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just firm to the touch.

7. Serve straight from the oven, with a spoon of whipped crème and topped with a sprig of redcurrants.

Serve with your favorite coffee or try one of the tempting ideas below.

Spiced Hot Tea

Ingredients:

5 Earl Grey tea bags
4 Cups cold water
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1 3-inch-long cinnamon stick
Honey
Lemon or orange wedges (Optional)
Cinnamon Sticks for stirrers (Optional)

1. Over high heat, bring water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon stick to boil. Remove saucepan from heat.

2. Add tea to the hot spice mixture in the saucepan. Cover and allow to brew for 3-5 minutes.

3. Pour tea through a strainer into tea cups. Into each cup, stir in approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons honey or to taste. Serve with lemon or orange wedges and place a cinnamon stick on the saucer for stirring.

Fire and Ice Espresso

Ingredients:

Strong Coffee Blend (such as Turkish or French) or Espresso
Vanilla Ice-Cream
Fresh Cream
Cinnamon

1. Prepare coffee to taste.

2. Top with a ball of vanilla ice-cream and a splash of cream. Dust with cinnamon and serve.

You may also add a shot of vodka to this mixture for a bit of umph.

sierra`,
Jon's slave