This hearty wholesome soup hails from south- west France and is a good one for those on a budget or with a crowd to feed. According to ‘Larousse Gastronomique’, the most famous version is from Bearn (which includes cabbage and confit), but there are many local variations. In Gascony , the local tradition is to tip a glass of wine (preferably a full-bodied red) into the dregs of your bowl which not only makes the soup go further but is also very delicious. Toasted bread with cheese is sometimes served as an accompaniment, as with French onion soup.
This stir-fry is flavoured with one of Robins’ Bush Food sauces,
available in Coles supermarkets nationally.
250g rump, trimmed of fat and sliced thinly across the grain
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon castor sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and cut into eighths
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 carrot, peeled [...]
The French describe this method of slow-roasting lamb as “weeping” because the drippings from the meat “weep” into the potatoes underneath. They use a leg of lamb and cook it for up to three hours – if you decide to use the leg, double the quantity of vegetables.
An easy and decadent one to make on the weekend, especially now the days are getting colder.
A very loud rattling sound greets me as I drive up the dusty road past the vineyard to Clonakilla, a multi-award winning winery at Murrumbateman, 40 minutes north west of Canberra. Even with the windows firmly up to keep out the fine dust, the rattling grows louder and louder by the second.
