urnieta

The area was a little industrial town but everywhere, even under the highways little vegetable gardens sprouted. People knew how to grow under adversity! As we wandered through the trees we could hear the clang clang of a bell, two goats tied to a tree enjoying an afternoon snack. They looked at us with curiosity but never stopped their munching. We walked up a hill fortified with blackberries and discovered some secret gardens at the peak, not a house or road in sight, cobbled together with recycled materials. An elderly couple were busily tending their plants and barely noticed our presence.

Urnieta where we were staying was a little town held together with with some 80s tickytacky with a backdrop of lovely hills. The local grocery store was so filled with produce that people had to do a silent dance back and forth to get what they wanted. In the window you would hardly know they sold food, shelves packed with strange bobble head toys.

It was kind of lovely to see how people personalised their identical little red brick terraces, a stone pineapple, flowers, mosaic numbers. Our house had three large stones cemented to the fence. Maite was a lovely host who loved the sea. They had a veggie garden complete with hammocks and a lemon tree covered in aphids which we tried to advise them on. It’s nice to feel useful! It was hot and a nap in the hammock and a cool drink made this funny little development close to heaven.

Ingredients

1/2 cup puy lentils (red split lentilsif camp cooking, soaked in water bottled filled with boiling water)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 onion, coarsely chopped

Rosemary, thyme, marjoram, parsley chopped (fresh better but dried if camping)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Tomato stock cube/tbsp tomato paste/leftover pasta sauce

100 butter

Any leftover veg cubed: tomatoes, carrots, chard, zucchini, capsicum, etc (anything about looking wilted in the fridge! Even lettuce)

Salt and pepper

This has been our go to meal ever since hawaii. It’s great for clearing out your fridge when things look like they are on their way out and packed with nutrients.

We eat it thick with coconut roti, thinner as a pasta sauce or thinner still as soup.

lentil stew

Rinse then boil lentils until soft in a saucepan.

Meanwhile fry onion and garlic in butter until golden and soft, add the herbs and cayenne

Add chopped vegetables and cook until carrot begins to soften

Add lentils, water to cover and tomato stock cube. Simmer until reduces to consistency desired, add more water if vegetables/lentils not soft enough. Taste and add salt and pepper as required.