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Jude Blereau's Green lentils, caramelised pear and pedro ximenez salad

29/6/2016

16 Comments

 
Jude Blereau's Green lentils, caramelised pear and pedro ximenez salad
Jude Blereau's Green lentils, caramelised pear & pedro ximenez salad (image courtesy Murdoch Books)
In a delicious conversation with ABC Radio National's Margaret Throsby, MasterChef judge and food writer, Matt Preston, mentioned that most people only cook three recipes from any one of the cookbooks they buy; and said that he prefers to see a 'dirty cookbook', meaning a book that is loved and used, rather than sitting pristine on the coffee table. ​This has always been my philosophy too.

That said, I must admit that on my shelves there are a handful of cookbooks that have barely been opened, while others quickly acquire that food splattered, much loved, well-thumbed appearance. Jude Blereau's latest offering, Wholefood from the ground up (Murdoch Books), which arrived on my doorstep only recently, is already fitting into the latter category.

If the cover photograph of green lentils, caramelised pear and pedro ximenez salad doesn't whet your appetite, then perhaps any one of the other 120 recipes will do so. From the basics (such as making good stock); to recipes for kefir, labne and almond milk; cooking with pulses and grains; and onto some seriously good things like rosemary and raspberry jelly, barley and spelt shortcrust pastry, pear butter, funked up roasted vegetables, and kefir buttermilk panna cotta. 

There are recipes for fruit-based breakfasts, as well as protein-based breakfasts 'with a good component of fat' (gotta love that!). Among the selection of light vegetarian dishes are a 'three sisters' Christmas lima bean salad; the salad of lentils and caramelised pears on the cover and featured below; baked peach salsa and haloumi; and roast plum, goat's curd and basil tart.

Jude's baked whole mackerel is also on my list of recipes to try, along with roast buttermilk chicken, sweet and sour duck, and the lamb shoulder with fennel and borlotti beans. In terms of sweet things, the tapioca plum pudding, vanilla buttermilk ice cream, and peach shortcake are among the standouts.

For those who may not be aware, Jude Blereau is one of 
Australia's most authoritative, long-established wholefood advocates. She was living a wholefood life long before 'wholefood' was a buzzword for healthy living, and she knows better than most that one of the greatest obstacles to healthy eating is time, or lack of it. With just a little preparation you can build a solid food foundation, so being busy doesn't have to mean going hungry, she says.

After co-founding the Earth Market in 1997, a wholefood store and cafe in Perth, Australia, Jude moved on to set up the Whole Food Cooking School in 2001. Her focus is on helping people learn about good food and giving them the tools and information they need to make healthy and wholesome eating a part of their everyday lives. Jude has written four books - Wholefood, Coming Home to Eat, Wholefood for Children, and Wholefood Baking - which is quite possibly the best of the cookbooks to land on my kitchen bench so far this year. Yes, it's that good.

​Wholefood from the ground up distills Jude's wealth of knowledge into one incredible guide. In addition to more than 120 nourishing recipes there is clear information about what constitutes 'good' food, where to source it and how to use it to its best effect. There is also a guide to building a wholefood pantry from scratch as well as practical tips for planning and preparing food ahead.

The recipe I have chosen to showcase is the one featured on the cover of the book. Jude says it is her version of a dish known as 'The Wedding Salad' from Sarah Searle at The Yellow House blog. It's a basic format of greens, sweet fruit, nuts and a dressing. Occasionally, I have substituted oak leaf lettuce leaves and baby spinach for the rocket and mustard greens. Both work well. 

GREEN LENTILS, CARAMELISED PEAR AND PEDRO XIMINEZ SALAD
2 Beurre Bosc pears 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
60ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) Pedro Ximenez 12 month old sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons Pedro Ximenez sherry
50g rocket (arugula) leaves or mustard greens
1 quantity cooked French green lentils, drained*
40-75g (1/2 cup) hazelnuts, roasted, skins rubbed off, roughly chopped
hazelnut oil for drizzling, optional

Cut the pears into eighths, and remove and discard the cores.

Place the olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar and the sherry in a small frying pan no larger than 20cm (8 in). This size pan will give more depth of liquid (and thus more flavour) to the pears, and contribute to less evaporation. Toss the pears through the liquid, place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, turning the pears every now and then. At the end of this time, there should be about 2 tablespoons of liquid left in the pan. If it looks like there is more, increase the heat slightly and continue to cook until it has reduced. Remove the pears and set aside on a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of sherry vinegar to the pan and stir - this is now your dressing. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To put the salad together, arrange the rocket leaves on a serving platter and spoon the cooked lentils over the top. Using your fingers, gently toss together. Place the cooked pears over the lentils and scatter over the hazelnuts. Gently pour the cooled dressing over the salad and drizzle with a little hazelnut oil, if using. Serves 4 as a light meal.

*For the lentils, cook 100g of French green lentils in 310 ml of chicken or vegetable stock until they are cooked, but 'toothsome'.
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Jude Blereau - whole and natural foods expert
Jude Blereau, author and whole and natural foods expert (image courtesy Murdoch Books)
Jude Blereau's Wholefood from the ground up
Jude Blereau's Wholefood from the Ground Up (cover image courtesy Murdoch Books)
Recipe and Images from Wholefood from the ground up by Jude Blereau (Murdoch Books), RRP $39.99, available in all bookstores and online. Thank you kindly to the publicity team at Murdoch Books, and Jude Blereau, for giving me the opportunity to showcase this title. It will be well used.

Tell me dear readers, do you cook more than three recipes from each of the cookbooks you buy? And are you familiar with Jude Blereau and her wonderful wholefood philosophies?
16 Comments
Hotly Spiced link
28/6/2016 09:02:10 pm

I'm now trying to think of how many recipes I've cooked from my cookbooks! I do have some where I've never cooked a recipe from them! One of them is Gwyneth Paltrow's book - I'm just not sure she's genuine. That cookbook has a beautiful cover xx

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:03:36 am

It does, doesn't it Charlie. Welcome back xx

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
28/6/2016 11:46:26 pm

You definitely know a cookbook is good when it is well marked!

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:03:47 am

That is so true! x

Reply
John / Kitchen Riffs link
29/6/2016 01:12:48 pm

I have tons of cookbooks -- don't know how many, but it has to be approaching 300. And there are maybe a dozen that I use often, and perhaps another dozen or two that I'll look at every few months. If that. The rest really don't get used much, if at all (mainly not at all). Still, I don't want to get rid of them! Anyway, this sounds like a keeper -- thanks.

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:04:15 am

Oh John, I hear you... I have many, many hundreds, yet they are all like my babies!

Reply
Amanda link
29/6/2016 07:07:49 pm

Jude is quite a legend, isn't she.
I was just wondering what to prepare as sides for a dinner I'm having tomorrow - you've solved it for me!

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:04:30 am

Thank you, Amanda, this is a gorgeous salad xx

Reply
Eha
29/6/2016 08:37:17 pm

There you go, Liz, wrecking my book moratorium again: and with such a beauty! Have to admit I had never ever heard of the lady before but that salad stirs one's senses in every way!! In the 'foodie world' one does not see real originals too often and that one surely is . . . now to catch up with Matt Preston and Margaret Throsby!!

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:04:56 am

Ah, good one, Eha... I hope you enjoy their conversation. The music is gorgeous too!

Reply
Tandy I Lavender and Lime link
30/6/2016 12:03:16 am

I think I'm going to count how many recipes I've made from each book before I move them into my new kitchen and only move the ones I really use!

Reply
Lizzy
30/6/2016 01:05:14 am

Good plan, although you never really know!

Reply
Simone Mason
30/6/2016 01:06:00 am

I saw this book mentioned online somewhere the other day and was wondering what it was like. Thanks for your notes about it. One for my collection.

Reply
Lizzy
1/7/2016 08:49:21 pm

Most definitely, Simone!

Reply
David link
1/7/2016 08:29:06 am

I love buying used cookbooks so that I can see immediately where the best recipes are - the stained, tattered pages. I do have some cookbooks I have never used, however, their beauty is always inspirational!

Reply
Lizzy
1/7/2016 08:49:42 pm

That is a beautiful comment, David. I am like you... xx

Reply

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