by Joan Stevens

One of the delights at this time of the year is using garden produce you've grown yourself - always provided you can keep the slugs and snails at bay long enough for the plants to grow something approaching maturity, of course.

Most of us grow lettuce, then wonder what to do with it all. Usually I grow far too much - then have to think up more and better ways of using it than just eating endless green salads, or pressing a home-grown lettuce on everyone I meet!

If you do have plenty of lettuce in the garden, Lettuce Soup is an excellent way of using it up, especially as you can use the not-so-delicate outer leaves, and keep the best hearty bits for salads. This particular recipe can be served either hot or cold. It has a delicate flavour and can be garnished with chopped chives, parsley or mint.

Ingredients: 1 oz butter, 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped; 1 large potato; 30 fluid oz (one and a half pints) chicken stock; one large lettuce, or the equivalent in lettuce leaves; salt and freshly ground pepper, five fluid oz single cream; 2 tablespoons cooked green peas (optional).

Method: Melt the butter in a large pan, and cook the onion gently for 5-6 minutes until it is soft and translucent. Peel the potato, slice thinly and add to the pan, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the stock, bring to the boil then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes by which time the potato should be softened.

Wash the lettuce leaves and tear into strips. Add to the contents of the pan, bring to the boil again and simmer for one minute more. Cool slightly, then puree in a blender or liquidiser. Season to taste. If serving the soup hot, return to the pan to re-heat, then add the cooked peas. Serve and swirl a dessertspoon of cream into each serving.

If serving chilled, add the peas and stir in the cream. Keep the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Stir well before serving and garnish with chopped herbs.

Lentil and Cheese Bake is a simple vegetarian dish - very good served with a green salad made with aforementioned lettuce hearts!

Ingredients: 8oz red lentils; 15 fluid oz (three quarters of a pint) water; 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1-2oz butter; 4-6oz strong Cheddar cheese, grated; 1 teaspoon mixed herbs (fresh if possible)' 1oz wholemeal breadcrumbs, seasoning to taste.

Method: Cook the lentils in the water until the liquid has been absorbed.Melt the butter and cook the onion in it until soft and transparent. Mix all ingredients together, stir well and press into a greased ovenproof dish. Bake at Gas mark 4, 180C for 30-35 minutes.

Ice Cream Bonanza:

Although there is now a bewildering variety of mouthwatering and exotic ice-creams to be found in every supermarket freezer section, home-made ice-cream still beats the bought kind hands down. It is not difficult to make, especially if you are lucky enough to own an ice-cream maker. Even if you don't though, ice-cream making is very little hassle and worth a little extra effort.

I don't have an ice-cream maker, but find that I get good results using my Kenwood mixer. Many ice-cream recipes require you to remove the semi-frozen mixture from the freezer after a few hours, and beat it again, so that you don't end up with a creamy layer on top and a layer of frozen juice underneath. This may sound like a nuisance, but actually takes very little time - and if washing up is the problem, just leave the mixer bowl unwashed until you've carried out the second beating!

Lemon Ice Cream is a great favourite, and although the amount of cream makes it extravagant, you can use half double cream, and half Greek yoghurt, with a result which is almost as delicious.

Ingredients: 20 fluid oz (1 pint) double cream, 4 egg yolks, 6oz castor sugar, 5 fluid oz lemon juice, 5 fluid oz water.

Method: dissolve the sugar in the water and juice mixed together. Boil until the mixture is syrupy and reduced by about half. Pour into a bowl with the egg yolks and beat continuously until the mixture is almost cold. Whisk the cream until it just holds its shape, then blend into the lemon mixture. Freeze for 2-3 hours, then remove and beat again. Return to the freezer for at least eight hours, preferably overnight. Remove from the freezer and keep in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes before serving.

Honey and Brandy Ice Cream is one of the easiest to make, and is good for a special occasion.

Ingredients: 6 egg yolks, 5 fluid oz honey (a scented honey is particularly good for this recipe); 10 fluid oz double cream; 2-3 tablespoons brandy.

Method: Beat the yolks until light and fluffy. Gently heat the honey in a small pan and when just below boiling point pour slowly onto the yolks, beating continuously. Beat hard until the mixture is cool and has increased in bulk. Gradually add the brandy to the mixture before beating in the cream, whipped until it holds it shape. Blend well into the honey mixture. Freeze. Note. this ice cream really doesn't need an interim beating and can be served straight from the freezer.

Chocolate Mint Ice is another very easy one, and very popular. If you are serving more that four, you will probably need to double these quantities.

Ingredients: 1 oz castor sugar; 6 oz After Eight mints; 5 fluid oz water; 3 egg yolks; 5 fluid oz double cream.

Method: Boil the sugar and water together for three minutes. Put in the blender with the chocolates and the egg yolks and blend well. Leave to cool, then turn into a bowl. Whip the cream then fold into the egg/chocolate mixture. Serve the ice cream straight from the freezer, with one large scoop per serving, and top the scoop with half an After Eight, cut diagonally.

Out For A Duck!

Duck has always been considered a luxury meal, partly because it is more expensive than chicken or turkey, but also because when you buy a whole duck, the bird seems to have more bone than flesh, so that you don't appear to have a lot of meat for your money, even if the meat is particularly delicious.

Nowadays, birds produced for the supermarkets are more fleshy, and being able to buy duck joints and breasts means that you don't have to confront the difficult task of carving a duck. Even though they are not cheap, there is no waste on duck breasts, so they do represent good value as an occasional treat.

Because duck is quite a rich meat, it is best served with a fruity, sharp-tasting accompaniment - hence the popularity of Duck with Orange Sauce, a classic French dish. In fact,, other fruits go well with duck too - cherries, raspberries and blackcurrants all feature in recipes among my collection.

The recipe I've chosen for Duck with Orange Sauce is a variation on the classic one, but is extremely good.

Ingredients for four people: 4 duck breasts; 1 oz butter; 1 oz plain flour; 10 fluid oz chicken stock; 3 large oranges' 5 fluid oz red wine; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method: prick and score the skin on the duck breasts. Season lightly and arrange the breasts, fat side uppermost in a shallow dish. Using a zester if you have one, or a sharp paring knife if not, remove the zest from one of the oranges, then extract the juice. Scatter the zest over the breasts then pour over the orange juice. Leave in the fridge overnight, turning the breasts occasionally so that the orange flavour can permeate the flesh.

To cook the duck: remove from the marinade and wipe dry. Reserve the marinade. Transfer the duck to a shallow baking tray and cook in a pre-heated oven Gas mark 6, 200C for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the remaining oranges and slice horizontally. When the duck is cooked, remove from the pan, transfer to a serving dish and keep warm while you concoct your sauce. Using any fat in the baking tray, plus the 1oz butter, melt together over a low heat, then stir in the flour to make a sauce with the stock, wine and orange juice and zest from the marinade. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, adjust the seasoning, then pour over the duck and garnish with the orange slices and a few sprigs of watercress.

If you like a syrupy sauce, there is nothing to stop you adding a tablespoon of bitter orange marmalade to the sauce just as it comes to the boil. The same quantity of redcurrant or cranberry makes an interesting addition too.

© Joan Stevens June 1998

Any comments or question please e-mail us @

stephen.poyzer@which.net or jemeny@globalnet.co.uk

 © Kibworth & District Chronicle 1998