Lentil and Sage Soup

I've mentioned before that we will be moving home at some point.  This was one of the reasons I decided not plant much in my tiny garden plot, something of course I now regret seeing that we were still here for the Summer when we could have reaped some homegrown courgettes and dwarf beans.  Instead we planted a load of potatoes which we are happily still tucking into.  Other than the potatoes, salad leaves, a few berries here and there, we have a load of herbs growing. 

One of the herbs that is doing fantastically is the sage.  I've been cooking with it a lot recently.  So yesterday alongside the Sage 'Frog' Biscuits.  

I made another sage flavoured soup.  The last time it was a Barley and Sage soup, this time a lighter one: Lentil and Sage Soup.    It was a simple herby warming soup, but perfectly welcomed on a damp, dreery, drizzly and overcast Scottish afternoon.  In place of crusty bread or croutons, I served this soup with these flaky herby biscuits.  

This is my entry for this month's No Croutons Required (NCR) which is being hosted by Lisa this month. NCR is a monthly vegetarian food blogging event, where readers are challenged to create either a soup or salad incorporating a specified ingredient. NCR is alternately hosted between the Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen. Septembers challenge is to use an ingredient from your own garden.  I am also linking the sage 'frog' biscuits to Bake with Bizzy.

Lentil and Sage Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
110g yellow split peas, sorted and rinsed
2 pints of vegetable stock

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic,minced
1 tablespoons sage, minced, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Bring the peas and stock to the boil.  Then simmer until the peas are completely soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.
In a wide pan, heat the oil and add the onions and garlic until soft, stir in the sage, salt and pepper to taste and cook for  few minutes for the sage to infuse the soft onions.  Turn of heat.
When the lentils are stir in the sagey onions and simmer for 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving in bowls. Garnish wish optional sage leaves, if you wish.

Harlech - Best Beach in Britain?

After Conwy and Llanwrst, our next stop and overnight stay was at Harlech in Gwynedd, North Wales. 

Harlech is a small town and seaside resort on the Cardigan Bay coastline. Some of you may have heard of the song Men of Harlech. 

Its most famous landmark is the medieval castle - Harlech Castle - a world heritage site.

Outside the castle stands a monumental statue of two limbless men on a horse.  Its very powerful.  The bronze equestrian statue represents the Two Kings Bendigeidfran and his nephew, Gwern.

The town has changed so much since the last time we were there.  Old places have closed down and new businesses have sprung up, there is even a pizza take-away in the town.  After the long walk up to the castle we took a leisurely wander through the small town centre, then down to the beach - the most beautiful beach in Britain in my opinion. 

Bottom of the castle, not far from the train station.

A new resident/feature in Harlech is this spectacular metal Welsh dragon measuring 16 foot long and 10 foot wide is bolted below the historic castle.

His name is Dewi - The Welsh Dragon.

We got to Harlech Beach around lunch time - look at it - beautiful. 

Long golden shoreline.  And we are all alone.

Just on the edge of the beach is St Davids Golf Club.  Standing here gives a another perspective of the town: Harlech Castle, Theatr Harlech (Harlech Theatre) and Coleg Harlech (Harlech College).  

Ssshhhh....shortcut through the sand dunes and over the rail tracks to the town....and a drink at the hotel (see above).

Except when we went there in the evening to wet our appetite, we were saddened to see that the St David's Hotel was closed.  We were told by a local that it had closed down about 4 years ago.  It such a shame really.  Harlech has changed a lot since the last time we were there (over 10 years ago), in fact it was home for a year.  Still it will always hold many fond memories in our hearts and its a place I will come back to again. 

Savoury Sage 'Frog' Biscuits

Not literally sage-green frogs!

But homemade edible biscuity ones.

With the sage herb thriving in my garden plot, I was encouraged to cook with it a little more than I have done so in the past.  As well as making a 'sage split pea soup', I decided to make some savoury sage biscuits to accompany the soup instead of chunky bread or croutons.  Of course, having a large collection of cookie/biscuit cutters, I was tempted to play with one of them and the froggy one was the first to come to hand.  It made me smile reminding me of a scene from the movie Magnolia when it starts raining frogs and toads literally.  It just seemed appropriate with it typically raining outside here too.   Here's the link to the scene of the frogstorm if you've not seen the movie.

Well these savoury sage biscuits were delicate releasing a lovely light herby aroma when you bit into it.  I've also recently read that they are good for improving the memory.  I am submitting this to I am submitting this recipe to Simona of Briciole for this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB) #300 . WHB is overseen by Haalo from Cook Almost Anything.

Sage Biscuits
Makes about 12
Ingredients
260g plain flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
90ml vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten or flax 'eggs'
125ml milk or soy milk
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
Method
Preheat gas mark 9.
Sift the flour, baking powder and alt and place in a large bowl.  Combine the egg, oil, milk and sage, then make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid.  Combine with a fork, until just mixed (Please note, you may not need to use all the liquid).
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured board and roll out.  Then cut into rounds or whatever shape you wish with a cookie cutter.
Bake on a non stick baking sheet for 8 - 12 minutes on the top shelf, until the bottoms are browned.  Adapted very slightly from The Tassajara Recipe Book.