Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Spaghetti with Pesto Meatballs; Still Eating Horses....

How would you like your horse?  Medium rare?

When we first moved to Ireland,  I remember there being a bit of a flap in England about joining the European Union and having to export their prized hunting stallions to France to be eaten. 

I don’t remember the particulars but do remember wondering if an Arabian was better than a Palomino. 

After moving to Andorra I realized that the whole bit had apparently been blown up by the tabloids….In Andorra they raise ‘food horses’ (lots) and riding horses (not so many) and, at least to my untrained eye, there is a difference. 

The food horses are grazed in the high pastures like the sheep and goats.  They are stocky animals: short legs, big bodies, big hooves, and don’t appear any more domesticated than the goats and sheep they graze with.

I will say, however, that being on the bare face of a mountainside, and having a flock of sheep come over the rise is fun.
Seeing a drove of goats come over the rise is interesting.
Hearing a herd of wild 'food' horses thundering over the rise, with the herder shouting and cracking a long whip, is absolutely terrifying!

Back to the food:  the meat is exported mainly to France and Spain, with only a small amount sold locally - pork and lamb being favored in Andorra.

You will find it in the shops and on menus, particularly in rural areas, both horse and colt. 

Oh, and the riding horses are kept in stables and fed apples by hand – just like everywhere else.

Europeans, in general, know that meat was once an actual animal, and are okay with that.  They have no problem enjoying all of it.  It's common to see a plate of pig's feet at the table next to you at lunch. Pig ears (real ones) are great dog treats!  We were told not to accept dinner invitations in Ireland on a Tuesday because that was 'tripe' (stomach lining) day and I often hear my British friends raving about the tongue they had at so and so's.

I, on the other hand come from a squeamish background. 

I like what I eat to have food names: chops, steaks, roast; rather than vital body-part names: lung, heart, tongue, brains. 

Don't get me wrong, I have eaten my share of non-standard fare.  I grew up in the Midwest where hunting is common, (although by the time I saw any of the meat it was cooked and on the table).  I have eaten: squirrel, rabbit, raccoon (only once, eww..), venison, buffalo and all sort of birds.  In the southwest I was convinced to try rattlesnake and in Florida, 'gator. 

Trust me, the only thing that tastes like chicken is chicken! 

I am not totally lacking in culinary courage - I just don't want to eat intestines...or brains...or glands...or tongues.

Plus, I don't know how to eat a pig foot....Pick it up and gnaw?  Knife and fork...how does one cut a hoof?  Does one eat all of it? 

Is that why there are so many dogs in European restaurants (slip it under the table to the family garbage can)?

For the record I have, unintentionally, eaten sweetbreads (quite tasty), kidneys (I'll pass), horse (kind of sweet but very lean and tender), kid (flavor was good but texture strange), tripe (no comment) and haggis (lots of whisky - and I like it!) and more parts of pig than I really want to know about.

And foie gras?  That's a classification all to itself: Nectar of the Gods!

(I'm taking a hint from Lydia, of A Perfect Pantry, who made a comment recently that sometimes, in order to stay sane, we bloggers need to take a wee break and do a reprint of an older post.  This is from one done in the early days of my blog, with modifications, of course.  I never could leave anything alone... The photo is new...)   

And the food is new....

We just can't seem to break away from winter this year. 

We have a bit of spring and think it's time to get the barbecue out.

Then the rains come back and we are lighting fires every night again.

Thus I had half of a container of pesto in the fridge.  It had been meant for a salad but, as that didn't appear to be happening anytime soon, it ended up in the meatballs.

So, sorry Ruth: I'm back to winter cooking this week!

Be sure to visit  Once Upon a Feast, on Friday, for the Presto Pasta Night recap!  Maybe someone else will have salads....

Spaghetti with Pesto Meatballs 

12 oz ground beef (350 gr mince)
3 tbs bread crumbs
3 tbs pesto
1 tbs red wine
1 egg
Sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes, 15 oz (450gr)
1 can tomato sauce, 8oz (250ml)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tsp paprika
1 tbs olive oil
spaghetti, with basil or spinach is nice
2 - 3 tbs Parmesan for sprinkling

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Lightly beat egg with a fork. Add pesto, bread crumbs, wine and mix well. Add beef, mix well. Form into meatballs, about 1 1/2" (5cm) in diameter.
Roughly chop onion and mince garlic. In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté briefly. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until tender and onion is transparent, 7 - 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, sauce and herbs. Heat to a simmer. Drop the meatballs in carefully, trying to keep them separate. Cover and simmer until meatballs are done, about 15 minutes. Stir once or twice.
When pasta is done, drain and put into a large bowl. Pour meatballs and sauce over the top, remove bay leaf, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Mon mari just saw a bit on the telly about a restaurant in China that specializes in dog.  Apparently brown dogs are preferred (sorry, Sedi) with black dogs being acceptable and white dogs the least favored (lucky Emma).

I don't think I'll go there.

Pizza Steak and the Weekly Menu Planner

I saw pork balls at the market today.

No, not the kind one makes with ground pork and spices that often appear on Chinese buffets.

The other kind.

They were in between the horse steaks and the goat.

One of the things that we can't get here, or, at least, not easily, is really good, thick-cut steak.  We make the effort to find it, once or twice a summer, and willingly spend the small fortune to buy it.  When we do it's cooked, simply, on the barbecue grill.

More often we buy the 'French' steaks, which are never cut more 1/3" (1cm) thick and tend to be flavorful but a bit tough.

And we do something more, shall we say, creative?

Pizza Steaks

2 steaks, 6 - 8oz each (I used beef)
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, drained
1 tsp paprika, sweet or smoky
4 tsp oregano
2 tbs red wine
2 tbs olive oil

Chop shallots; mince garlic. Heat 1 tbs oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and paprika, sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 5 minutes longer. Drain tomatoes. Roughly chop tomatoes and add to skillet along with wine and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Meanwhile heat remaining tbs of oil in large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks and fry quickly, 1 - 2 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired degree of doneness. When done, put on small platter. Spoon sauce over and serve with Creamy Herbed Polenta (recipe tomorrow).

For the week of March 21, we're having Quesadillas, Pizza Steaks, Creamy Polenta, Emerald Soup, Roast Asparagus with Garlic Chips and Leg of Lamb on a Bed of Potatoes.  Happy Easter!

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list delivered to your inbox each Thursday. (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere)

Don't forget I'm hosting Weekend Herb Blogging!  You have until Sunday afternoon (Utah time, whenever  that is your time) to get you entries to me.... Com'on and play!  Send them to thyme2.kate@gmail.com

Bon Weekend!

Beef in Guinness; So we'll know them by their limping....

May those who
Love us, love us.

And those that
Don't love us
May God turn
Their hearts;

And if he doesn't
Turn their hearts
May he turn
Their ankles.

So we'll know them
By their limping.

There is a lot of Irish wisdom floating around this weekend: some sappy; some satirical.  But none embodies the true Irish spirit for me as much as this simple Irish poem.

"So we'll know them by their limping" - That just sums it all up nicely....

We lived in Ireland for a year.  Our house was a typical terrace or row house: two rooms deep by three floors high.  It was old.  The walls were two feet thick and it had recently been remodeled to add a kitchen and bathroom.  We were right across the water from Cobh harbor (pronounced 'cove') where over 2.5 million emigrants embarked for a better place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

I had a large ottoman snuggled into one of the window spaces on the second floor.  It fitted the space perfectly.  I would sit in my little nook, have my morning coffee, write in my journal and watch the world go by.

This is how I became aware of the daily activities of our next-door neighbor, Mickey.

Each day, around mid-morning, Mickey would leave his house with a small plastic bag.

He would slowly meander across the street, walk along the walls of the pier for a bit, then lean over and look across the water...gazing out to sea, as it were.  (Mickey had been a fisherman.)

When he stood back, the plastic bag was gone.

Then he would saunter over to the public outhouse and disappear.

About fifteen minutes later he would emerge and walk briskly back across the street to his house, morning chores complete.

We never saw Mickey's wife (although we heard her on more than one occasion). 

We assume she ran a tight ship and did not allow certain 'activities' in her immaculate house.  (Wha?  Shit inside?  In the house?  Not in my house, you don't!)

 

We only spoke to Mickey twice - not because he wasn't friendly, but because we couldn't understand him.

We assumed he was speaking Irish.  Wrong, again!

Apparently, the local speech in County Cork (pronounced 'cark') is considered totally unintelligible by Dublin standards.  After learning this, we paid closer attention and realized that Mickey was, in fact speaking English.

It was almost painful watching him make the effort to remember his grammar school lessons and form the words so we had a chance of understanding.

In the end, we just avoided each other: Mickey because (I think) he felt he couldn't properly articulate his words; us because we felt that, somehow, we should be able to understand this kind old man but were never able to.

We always smiled, waved and nodded like crazy at each other, though.  In our own ways we were good neighbors.    (partial reprint from post of March 2005)

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day Emiline, of Sugar Plum, is hosting a Pub Crawl.

In Ireland, even though St. Paddy's Day comes in the middle of Lent, (and the good Irish will 'take the pledge' - quit drinking for Lent) it's proper to down a pint for St. Patrick!

I always try to do my part...

Beef in Guinness

1 lb (450 gr) beef suitable for stewing or braising
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 bay (laurel) leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 pint Guinness
2 tsp beef paste (or stock cube)
1 tbs oil
3 tbs cornstarch (maizena)
1 tbs paprika

Cut beef into 1" (2.5 cm) cubes. Cut onion into quarters, then slice thinly. Mince or press garlic. Cut carrots in half the long way, then into 1" (2.5cm) pieces. Combine paprika and cornstarch in a plastic food bag. Add beef and toss to coat evenly. In sauce pan large, enough to hold everything easily, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least an hour. If it starts to dry out, add more Guinness. If you would like the sauce thicker stir in 1 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water.
When ready to eat, remove bay leaf and serve with boiled jacket potatoes.

Emiline says she'll have a boozy reminisce of the pub crawl on March 20....

Sláinte mhaith!

Meatball Barley Stew; The Sobriety Test (aka: Memory Test)

"I learned the truth at seventeen,
.........

"And those who’s names were never called

When choosing sides for basketball"

Janis Ian

Well I can't say that my name was never called.... I went to Catholic school and the nuns wouldn't have allowed that.  But it was often next to last, or last.

I was never very athletic; never very strong.

I had no musical talent whatsoever; couldn't carry a tune on a platter.  (The nuns DID 'kindly' ask me to leave the choir - singing Praises to the Lord being far more important than mere playground antics).

What I did have was a mind like a steel trap.  I was good at tongue-twisters, complicated jokes and stories, brain-teasers, all that nerdy stuff...

Long before it was cool to be nerdy.

This morning I woke up with the lines from an old Memory Test skipping through my mind.  Also known as a Sobriety Test back in the days when drinking was an acceptable hobby and Political Correctness was an oxymoron.

I 'passed' the test on my first try (late one night with ample alcohol in my system) and proceeded to irritate the heck out of my 'tester' for the next 2 days, as I followed him around, repeating it until I had it down pat.

It's come in handy over the ensuing years:
Something to recite to myself as I sit in the dentist chair trying to ignore the 2-foot needle filled with Novocaine stuck in my lower jaw. 
Or to entertain myself whilst stuck in yet another interminable traffic jam during rush hour.

The test went something like this:

He:   Repeat everything after me:  One duck

Me:  One duck

He:   One duck, two geese

Me:  One duck, two geese   (Thinks to self: oh golly gee whiz, is this ever tough....)

He:  One duck, two geese, three fat hens

Me:  One duck, two geese, three fat hens  (yawn, snore.....)

He:  One duck, two geese, three fat hens, four corpulent porpoises

Me: Repeats.  Thinks: Well, at least he tossed in an interesting adjective.... ho hum.... Cute guy at the bar...

He:  One duck, two geese, three fat hens, four corpulent porpoises, five Limerick oysters

Me:  Repeats.  Thinks: Are we done yet?  I could do this using only 1% of my brain!  I'll humor him... maybe take a nap

He:  One duck, two geese, three fat hens, four corpulent porpoises, five Limerick oysters, Six thousand Syrian soldiers suited in silvery, slippery, satiny sneakers.

Me:  (Oops!) Repeats.  Thinks: Maybe I should pay a bit of attention. (Would hate to embarrass my smart-ass self!)

A few minutes later  - the finish:

He:  One duck,
      Two geese,
      Three fat hens,
      Four corpulent porpoises,
      Five Limerick oysters,
      Six thousand Syrian soldiers suited in silvery, slippery, satiny sneakers,
      Seven thousand Macedonians in full armor carrying spears,
      Eight aiabetic, diabetic old men eating asparagus,
      Nine nymphomaniac nuns nipping nectar,
      Ten tall men from Toreador pushing perambulators through Dorrity Park

Me:  Same as above, repeated successfully, with much concentration.  (Hah!  Retains self-awarded crown of reigning smart-ass!)

We all need our talents.

One other talent that I have been working on since I started cooking for only two, is how to use up the leftover bits in the fridge. 

I may be cooking for two but I haven't gotten that shopping thing down yet so there is always the odd carrot or sunchoke lurking in the in the drawer.

What better way to use them up then in a stew?

And I was hungry for barley. 

There are other ways (than drinking beer) of getting the benefits of this nutritious grain.  It's full of dietary fiber, selenium, tryptophan, copper, manganese and phosphorus.  It's great added to soup, as most of us know.  But it's also good on it's own, cooked like a risotto or, as here, added to stews.

My submission to this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging, the event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Kel, of Green Olive Tree, is Meatball Barley Stew.

This is my official good-bye to winter.  It may not be over but I am through with IT!

I like putting meatballs in stew.  They add a bit of meat flavor without having to cook for hours.  You can use ground chicken or turkey in place of beef, or leave them out and use tomato juice in place of beef stock for a Vegetarian Version.

Meatball Barley Stew

2 carrots
2 sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
15oz (450gr) white beans
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
3/4 cup barley
1 tbs oil
1 tbs paprika, smoky or sweet
3 bay (laurel) leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
Meatballs

Chop onion. Mince garlic. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté 1 minute. Add onion and sauté briefly. Then add garlic, sauté a few minutes longer. Peel/scrape carrots and roll-cut into chunks.  Scrub sunchokes and cut into similar pieces. Open and drain tomatoes, reserving juices. Roughly chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes, reserved juices, stock, carrots, sunchokes, herbs and barley to skillet. Bring to a boil. Add meatballs. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until meatballs and barley are done, turning meatballs periodically, 20 - 25 minutes. Depending on what type of barley you use you may have to cook longer and/or add more beef stock, wine or water.
When barley and meatballs are done, stir in drained and rinsed beans and simmer another 10 minutes.

Meatballs

12 oz ground beef (350gr mince)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup red wine, stock or milk
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

In medium bowl lightly whisk egg. Add breadcrumbs, mustard, wine and herbs, mix well. Add beef and mix well. Form into meatballs, about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter.

Be sure to visit Green Olive Tree  on Monday for the recap of all the yummy recipes.

And next week, Weekend Herb Blogging is chez moi:  Right here at Thyme for Cooking! Come and play!

Regarding the 'mind like a steel trap':
I've still got it (she says, modestly);
It's the trait most, er, under-appreciated by mon mari;
It may not have gotten me picked first for softball but it got me into Mensa!  (So there!)

Veal Marsala; Seven Scintillating Snippets of Savory and Sweet

Why?

Why not?

Do you all know the urban myth (I assume) of the Philosophy professor  who, for the final exam, asked the question: 'Why?'

One student answered simply: 'Why not?' 

And was the only one to receive an "A" on the exam.

When Gay, of A Scientist in the Kitchen tagged me for 7 Food Facts I decided: Why not? 

I hadn't done it before and food idiosyncrasies can be fun!

1.  I used to love escargot.  Then I started gardening.  There are a lot of snails in my gardens and, when I realized they are really only slimy slugs with shells, they lost some of their appeal.  (The garlic butter is still damn good, though!)

2. I had a traumatic event as a child.  I was offered what I thought was a chocolate chip cookie and it turned out to be oatmeal raisin. I still bear the scars.  To this day I can't stand raisins or any dried fruit in food of any kind.  I like dried fruit, but to eat out of hand, not covertly hidden in otherwise delicious food.

3.  Conversely, I love fruitcake!

4. I'm not a fan of sweet.  I love tart/sour, the more mouth-puckering the better.  Jolly Ranchers are about as sweet as I want in candy.  (Still, there is that fruitcake thing....)

5.  For the same reason I'm not a fan of fruit in savory dishes.  I like lemon (Chicken Piccata) but not orange or cherry or peach: too sweet.  But I love almost all fruit to eat as fruit - as long as there are some tart undertones.  I don't really like figs: too sweet.  (Still, there is that fruitcake thing....)

6.  I want dark chocolate (the darker the better) rather than milk; and white chocolate is just waste of calories.  But, if given a choice of desserts between an 'ooey-gooey dark chocolate something' and a fresh tart of peaches and berries, I always go for the fruit.  (Okay, this could be because in France I know they'll give me some chocolate with my coffee anyway...)

7.  I love pan-seared foie gras!  It is the ultimate D.O. (Digestive Orgasm).
And if I ever get my hands on that 'up and coming innovative chef' in the Midwest that thought serving it with blueberry sauce was a good idea.... Well, I can't be held accountable for my actions.

And one more just 'cause:  "Snickers" is food of the gods!

If I were asked what my favorite Mediterranean cuisine is, I would have a hard time answering.  I have many cookbooks, and many favorite dishes, of French, Spanish and Italian fare.  And I am branching out into Greek and Turkish...  I really love it all and all of it!

When I read about the Festa Italiana being jointly hosted by Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita and Marie of Proud Italian Cook I had to join the fun.

But what to bring to the party?  My mind ran through all of the pastas and risottos I make all year, briefly toyed with pizza and finally decided to do a 'secondi' rather than a 'primi'.

Piccata al Marsala (Veal Marsala)

12 oz (350gr) veal cutlets, thinly sliced - scallops
1/2 cup Marsala, (4oz. 125ml)
1/4 cup beef broth, (2oz, 60ml)
1 tbs dried parsley or 2 tbs fresh
1 tbs olive oil

In a large, nonstick skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add veal and quickly brown on both sides, about one minute each. Remove to an oven proof serving platter. Keep veal in a warm oven (125F, 75C) while finishing sauce. Add the Marsala, beef stock and parsley to the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Let sauce cook rapidly until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over veal and serve.

For all of you proper Italian cooks: I freely admit to modifying this; I left out the flour and all of the luscious butter.  You may whip me with a noodle, but I try to make things a bit healthier when I can. 
Plus, when I have lovely veal scallops, I like to cook them quickly and leave them a bit pink, so, rather than the traditional 35 - 40 minutes to make this, my version comes together in about 10.

Stop by the party, right after March 22, Finding La Dolce Vita and Proud Italian Cook, to check out all the wonderful Italian food and fun!  We should all be ready for dinner on the terrace by then! 

Braised Sunchokes; a Multitude of Memes; Hi, my name is Moonbeam

Continuing on with catching up:

The memes:

1. The Expatriate Chef tagged me with this "Memoir Meme".  It is based on a bet Hemingway made that he could sum up his life in six words.

As it has always been a challenge for me to use fewer rather than more words, I accepted the challenge.

Ten words, was easy; eight possible; but SIX???

Well, I never claimed to be the next Hemingway but here goes: My life in 6 words.

Try everything; it is possible, somehow.

 And photo defining it:

It's a bit of a walk to this village from where I took the photo...  But there is a lovely church!

The awards:

Núria, of Spanish Recipes, gave me this lovely award.... Just for being nice (who would have thought - moi?  Nice?)

And this one for an Excellent blog:

Muchísimos gracias, guapa!  (Is that right?  I don't have Spanish spell check)

The Expatriate Chef of The Expatriate's Kitchen also gave me the award for an Excellent Blog. 
I am so proud and grateful to be so honored.

And finally (I think), Gattina, of Kitchen Unplugged,  gave me this lovely Friendship Forever Ball:  I shall treasure this as I treasure all of the friendships I've made through so many wonderful blogs.

I have not finished reading all of my favorite blogs yet, so if I've missed something or someone either be patient or yell at me!

Now, about Moonbeam:

I ate out often on my recent trip.  Ironically many of the restaurants were  'French' or at least 'Continental' in theme. 

The food ranged from good to excellent.

The service ranged from bad to slightly better than mediocre.

The  'wait staff' in most US restaurants are easily more friendly then their European counterparts.  Everyone is met with the invariably chipper  "Hi, my name is Breadcrumb, and I'll be your waitperson this evening".  (They're also, unfailingly, politically correct.)

The Europeans are easily more professional.

The difference is most obvious in the treatment of the space immediately in front of each diner.

In Europe, that space should either be empty, in front of all diners, or contain a plate, in front of all diners.  It's very bad form to remove the plate of one diner while anyone else at the table is still eating. Or contemplating eating.   All plates are brought at the same time and removed at the same time.

In the US it appears to be bad form to have a plate in front of any diner that is not actively and voraciously putting food into their mouths.

The plates are often removed one at a time, as soon as each diner shows the least inclination to stop eating, sometimes before.  It's almost a race. If you turn your head, your plate is gone; cleaned or not!

I hate it, when, while I am still 'enjoying' my food, the 'waitperson' chirps to my companion "Do you want me to box that up for you?"

I really hate it when, as the waitperson picks up my companions plate, the fork falls off onto my plate... while I'm eating.

The European restaurant staff act more professional because it IS a profession: with entry levels, steps up the ladder and training.

In the US anyone can get a job in a restaurant. (I should know, I worked in several.)  There is little or no training in most places.  What one learns one learns on the job and from others.  To make money one learns quickly.

Yet the 20 (or 25) percent tip is still almost mandatory.  Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

Lest I offend too many people, I do know that the professionalism of the staff in the higher end restaurants in the US is excellent. I would be curious to know at what price level it suddenly changes....

Now, to the food:

The lovely Anna, of Morsels and Musings is hosting  Weekend Herb Blogging this week.  This event, well into it's third year now, was started by the esteemed Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen.

One of the things I always have to stock up on before I go to the US is Herbes de Provence.  Mon mari is used to having his food well flavored with herbs but really doesn't have a clue as to what to use when.  (Except rosemary for potatoes.)

The solution:  Herbes de Provence!  This combination of basil, bay, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme is sold in big, inexpensive bags all over France and is a staple in most kitchens. It's used to flavor grilled meats and fish, as well as stews and vegetables. 

Very handy when one is not quite certain what herb to use.....

BTW: the sunchoke, aka: Jerusalem artichoke has no relationship whatsoever to either Jerusalem (it's native to the Americas) or the artichoke (it's related to the sunflower).  They taste a bit like artichokes; a bit like water chestnuts.  I, just this very minute, learned that one does not have to peel them.... Now I like them even better.  Just scrub and cook...or eat raw. 

Braised Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes)

3 - 4 sunchokes
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp Herbes de Provence

Peel sunchokes using a vegetable peeler (or not). Cut into sticks about 1/2" (1cm) square.  Put into a small skillet or medium saucepan. Add stock and herbs, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and partially uncover. Simmer until tender and most of the stock is gone, 15 - 20 minutes. Remove, drain if necessary and serve.

Well, I learned something new - my day is complete!

Don't forget to visit Morsels and Musings on Monday for the complete recap!

A question:  Does everyone in the U.S. automatically tip 20%, regardless of the type of restaurant and caliber of service?  Do you tip that much on the wine as well?
For those who travel to Europe: Are you aware that the tip is usually included?  Anything extra is totally voluntary.  Here is a good guide Tipping in Europe.

Oriental Beef; Menu Plan for the Week

Oriental Beef
You could substitute thinly sliced flank steak or beef, pre-cut for stir-fry, or chicken or turkey... Any bits of veg left in the fridge would be fine in this: sliced Brussels sprouts, broccoli, whatever.

12 oz ground beef (mince 350 gr)
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 green pepper
1 medium carrot
2 - 3 oz mushrooms
2 stalks celery optional
1 small can water chestnuts
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tbs tomato paste
3 slices peeled ginger, about 1" diameter (2.5cm) 1/16th" thick
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
1 tbs cornstarch (or thickener of choice) dissolved in 2 tbs soy sauce

Mince garlic, chop onion and pepper. Clean and slice mushrooms. Slice celery at an angle into 1/8 inch slices. Cut carrot into matchsticks. Drain and slice water chestnuts. Peel and chop ginger. In large non-stick skillet heat oils over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper and carrots and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 3 minutes more. Add beef and sauté breaking it up as it browns. When beef is brown add chestnuts, tomato paste and stock. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 5 minutes. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir to recombine. Turn the heat up under the skillet and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until thickened. Serve over brown rice.

Brown Rice
I use 'Uncle Ben's' which is all I can get and it is quick cooking. It looks like brown Basmati and cooks in 15 minutes. You could substitute regular or Basmati.

1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup water or beef stock (or half each) or whatever your rice calls for
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Cook rice according to package instructions adding the herbs with the stock or water. Fluff and serve.

For the week of February 22, we're having Egg rop Soup, Asian Salmon with Orzo, Stuffed Mushrooms, Braised Pork Loin with Laurel, Pasta with Bacon and Leeks and Oriental Beef.

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Bon Weekend!

Braised Veal with Garlic; An Iron Rant

The biggest difference between life in Europe and life in the U.S. is not what most people think: there is no lack of peanut butter; we have better options than sour cream and we have more TV channels than we could possibly watch.

The biggest difference is ironing.

Europeans, at least the women, are obsessed with ironing. 

They iron everything: sheets, knit golf shirts, gardening clothes, everything!

They talk about ironing.

They discuss at length which type of iron is best.

They compare features; do cost/benefit analysis of the newest models.

They debate over whether to do the ironing themselves, send it out or have 'a girl' come in. 

I know 2 people who have someone come in twice a week to do the ironing.  Nothing else: no cleaning, no scrubbing, no washing; just the ironing.

You can take your clean laundry into one of many shops to have it ironed. I've a friend who always send her bed sheets out to be ironed.

I was at a new housewares shop that just opened in our little village.  They had a top of the line (I assume) iron for sale: 500 euros!  That would be over $700.00! 
For an iron!  And I'm pretty sure that it still required a human to stand there and move it around the clothes!

Don't get me wrong.  I own an iron.  I'm sure I paid at least $15.00 for it 20 years ago.  On average, I use it 6 - 8 hours... per YEAR!

In all fairness when we were working, both mon mari and I sent our shirts out to be laundered; and we can get no-iron bed linens.  But if he wants his T-shirts ironed, he knows were the iron is...
And he can do mine while he's at it...

I always check the tags before buying anything:
Cool iron?  In my mind that means no iron!
Warm iron?  Remember to take it out of the dryer right away; iron twice a year when it gets really wrinkled.
Hot iron?  Put it back and keep looking.

I have better things to do with my time.

Like cooking!

The Mediterranean cuisines like garlic.  Many people think of it as a staple in Italian food but it plays a major role in Spanish and French cooking as well.

For this Weekend Herb Blogging, the event founded by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, and hosted this week by Anna, of Anna's Cool Finds,  I'm playing with garlic!

The health benefits of eating garlic are legend:
It has been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure; prevent heart disease; promote cardiovascular health; protect against some cancers and acts as both an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial/viral agent. 

Whew!  Thankfully it also tastes delicious and enhances anything it's added to.

(It doesn't always enhance the breath of those ingesting it, but there's always mint...)

And I learned something new: Do NOT store garlic in oil at room temperature.  Apparently the combination is perfect for botulism!  Refrigerate it.

This recipe is based on one from 'France, the Beautiful'.

Braised Veal with Garlic
I made enough to have it over pasta for another meal.

24oz (750gr) veal, suitable for braising
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
1 head of garlic, 12 - 16 cloves peeled or not
3 bay leaves
15oz (450gr) crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water

Cut veal into 1 1/2 inch (3.75cm) cubes. Separate garlic head, peeling cloves if you like. In a deep, heavy pan heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the veal and brown on all sides. Remove and brown the other half. Remove. Add the bread crumbs and wine and stir well, scraping up the browned bits. Return veal to pan, add garlic cloves, tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Turn the heat up and uncover. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir and add to the pan a little at a time until thickened to your liking. Spoon meat, garlic and sauce into a bowl and serve with gnocchi.

The garlic gets incredibly sweet and creamy.... add more if you like.  Then you can get the wrinkles out of your clothes just by breathing on them...

I need to say this one more time in case you missed it:

700.00 Dollars.  For.  An.  IRON. 

Beef Vegetable Soup and My Mother's Cooking

I may have mentioned that, while my mother was a good cook, she was not the least bit creative or adventurous.

For Sunday Dinner we either had chicken or beef roast, with the occasional pork roast thrown in, just to be different.  Each was fixed in it's own unique, delicious, but never changing way.  Ham and Turkey were the holiday foods.  Week nights were pork chops (2 ways), meat loaf (a choice of tomato soup or cream of mushroom on top), sausages (maybe with sauerkraut?), hot dishes (3, maybe 4 different ones), and a few seasonal items: hamburgers and sweet corn in summer; soup in winter.

She had a few cook books and a box of recipes that she had collected but these were mainly for desserts and baked goods.  One needed recipes for baking.  One did not need recipes for cooking.

My brother brought home a brace of squirrels once.  She stared at them for a few minutes then decided to 'fix them like chicken'.  They were, of course, wonderful: they tasted just like chicken!

When she stated that she was making soup no one asked what kind.  We all knew: it was soup!

She occasionally made bean soup, split pea soup and chili (hers was a soup, sorry Texans).  She even made potato soup once.  But these were all given their full names.  They were special, proper soups; requiring planning and a trip to the grocery store.  Our regular old generic soup didn't.

Since soup is the theme of Heart of the Matter this month, hosted by Joanna of Joanna's Food and it's been perfect soup weather here in the Vendee, I thought it was time to immortalize my family soup.

I even named it.

Beef Vegetable Soup.

Pretty original, huh?

I toyed with the idea of calling it Root Vegetable Soup with the idea of it being a more trendy moniker and all... But, it's winter, what other vegetables could be in it?

My first husband's mother made vegetable soup with a bag of frozen vegetables.  I was so appalled I've never really gotten over it!

My conditioning as to the proper vegetables for a hearty soup was/is so complete that I still have a hard time with corn or green beans or fresh peas in soup. 

They're not winter vegetables. Soup is made in the winter.  Ergo they do not/can not belong in soup.

It's really not that hard to grasp, people....just think about it.

Of course one needs some decent stock to make a decent soup.  And soup is supposed to be economical so I picked up a package of beef ribs on special.  I had over 6 pounds (3 kilos) of ribs which is too much meat for the soup but I'll find another use for it.  I did get great stock.

In order to get nice brown stock you need to brown the meat first. 

After browning on all sides, which took about 20 minutes, I added 2 litres of water, an onion, all of the tops from a bunch of celery, a few carrots, some bay leaves and a bouquet garni.   It simmered away, perfuming the house for about 6 hours in all. 

Then I refrigerated it overnight.  The next day I removed a thick layer of fat, and strained it into a clean pot.  Time to make the soup:

Vegetable Beef Soup  Beef Vegetable Soup

For 4 litres (quarts) of soup:

2 litres beef stock
4 - 5 carrots
2 onions
4 - 5 stalks celery
1 medium rutabaga
4 potatoes
1/2 of a large head of cabbage
1 cup of small whole wheat pasta (my mother used egg noodles)
2 cups of shredded beef, trimmed, from the beef used to make stock

Bring the stock to a good boil over medium high heat.  Chop/slice all of the vegetables, peeling where appropriate.  Add to the soup as you finish with each one.  When all of the vegetables are in bring it back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Add the pasta and beef and simmer 15 minutes longer.

Note:  The rutabaga is a key ingredient.  Without it the soup doesn't have nearly as much flavor and the sweet undertones are missing.

Let's see: no fat to speak of, no cheese, no cream, no salt, (you can salt it if you like)...This has got to be heart-healthy, right?  It's also heart and tummy warming, bursting with flavor and just a bit on the sweet side form all those yummy root vegetables.  Check out Joanna's Food after Jan. 24th for all of this months soups!

I just realized, other than for the stock, I didn't add any herbs... But, then, my mother wouldn't have... and it is winter...

Yorkshire Pudding, Stuffing Pie and Fox Hunting

Fox Hunting is no longer legal in Britain.

It is, of course, still perfectly legal to put on the pretty red jackets and go madly galloping across the countryside on horses, blowing horns.

And, of course, it's still perfectly legal to bring your pack of dogs along for the exercise.

It only makes sense, in order to keep everybody on course, to lay out a trail for the dogs to follow.  The horses then follow the dogs.

And if the dogs happen to start a fox and chase it, well, that's just natural, too, now, isn't it?

Of course, one mustn't allow them to kill it.

It's still legal to kill the fox with guns, though.

But, as I said, Fox Hunting has been banned in Britain.

They don't put such fine points on it here in the French countryside.  It's legal, it's active and the girls and I are staying indoors this weekend. 

Not that I'd worry about Emma.  Being mainly white she'd be mistaken for one of the Charolais.  But little brown Sedi...could be a deer!

I don't know if anyone ever actually shoots anything.  I don't see many deer here and only an occasional fox.  I would be very happy if someone would reduce the rabbit population. 

I've also never seen anyone walking past hauling dead game.   I do know that if it's killed it will be eaten.  This is France, after all....we don't waste food!

Speaking of wasting food....Anyone have leftovers?

But first - if you have never made Yorkshire Pudding to go with a roast....Shame!

It's so easy and so delicious. It's a bit tricky with a small roast; as it's supposed to be made with the fat from the roast and there may not be enough.

Yorkshire Pudding

1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbs beef drippings or butter or combination
2 tbs beef stock

In medium bowl whisk the eggs. Add the milk, flour and salt. Let rest 10 - 30 minutes. When beef is almost done, remove and get some drippings.  Put drippings/butter and stock in a baking dish.  I use a 10 inch (25cm) square.  Heat the baking dish in the 425F (215C) oven (the same as for roast) until butter (if using) is melted. Remove and pour in pudding batter. Immediately take beef out and put pudding in. Oven door should not be opened while pudding bakes. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F (190C) and continue baking 12 - 15 minutes more, until golden and puffed up. Remove and serve immediately.

Now, the leftovers:

What to do with the leftover roast beef?

Chunky Beef Hash

2 potatoes
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 - 2 cups leftover roast beef, cut into small pieces
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs beef stock
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp thyme

Cut potatoes and carrots into large bite-size pieces and steam for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, until vegetables are just tender. Chop onion and celery and mince garlic.  Heat 1 tbs oil in large nonstick skillet over medium - high heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes longer. Add carrots, potatoes and beef. Stir-fry until vegetables are lightly browned.  Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, stock and ketchup and heat through, stirring constantly, 2 - 3 minutes over medium heat. Serve.

Leftover turkey and stuffing?

Stuffing Pie

1 - 2 cups turkey,  cut into smallish pieces
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 - 2 stalks celery
1 - 2 carrots
any other left over veg in the fridge  (I used some Brussels sprouts, sliced)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup leftover turkey gravy or chicken stock plus 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena)
1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
1 tbs dried sage
leftover stuffing - 1 1/2 - 2 cups or more...
The rest of the gravy on the side (can never have too much gravy)

Chop onion and garlic. Slice celery and carrots into thin rounds. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté 1 minute. Add all vegetables and sauté 10 minutes, until they start to get tender. Add gravy cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through. (If you are using chicken stock you will have to thicken it with cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbs water.) Stir in mustard and sage. Add turkey to vegetables. Put turkey and vegetables into a baking dish. I use a 9 inch (22.5cm) square. You want it to be just big enough to hold the meat plus the stuffing. Break up the stuffing and spoon on top.  Bake at 375F (185C), until heated through and stuffing is starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Gently heat any additional leftover gravy in a saucepan. Serve with gravy on the side.

By the way, Sedi, the Bunny Slayer, will eat turkey but will not touch chicken.  I could leave a  whole raw or cooked chicken laying on the floor next to her and it would be perfectly safe.  Not even so much as a lick. She will eat potatoes, carrots, green beans, oranges and apples.  I actually have to put the potatoes on a high shelf in the pantry or she snitches.

Emma would not touch a fruit or vegetable for all the beef bones in the world.  But, good girl that she is, she eats Sedi's portion of chicken scraps! 

And she eats 2-week old dead rabbits....