Kidney Stew

"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it." -Lena Horne



As a young couple, my husband and I were often, by our nation's standards, 'poor'; we have been unemployed while doggedly seeking employment, we have bounced checks, been at a loss as to where money desperately needed was going to come from, and many times simply had to do without. We have heard the dead silent response to our worriedly whispered, "What are we going to do?" and we have, more than once, had to pull items from the grocery bags until the check-out ticket total matched the dollars in our wallet. Growing up, both of our individual families went through periods without much money; my father was a farmer and his was a contruction electrician and the seventies was a tough times for both of them. After years of hard work and good fortune, we now finally find ourselves (for the time being and relatively speaking) financially secure. I've always advised my kids that the only way to be financially secure is to live slightly below your means, whatever those means may be, though I know first hand, when your means are not enough for your basic needs, this is pretty useless advice. Though having money has never made us happy, I know the lack of it has often made me terribly miserable; as Bernadette Peters says in The Jerk, "It's not the money -it's all the stuff." Currently in this country almost 14% of the population, 1 in 7 people in the US, are receiving food stamps and I am pointedly and personally aware of the chasm between The Haves And The Have Nots (click here) living side by side in our society. I don't want to glamorize poverty, but I can honestly say there are lessons and experiences only gained by having to learn to get by. One gain from ourselves, or our parents and grandparents, living without is the family recipes for getting through hard times. Yesterday, when I was making up our weekly menu, I asked for family input and my oldest daughter (recently returned from Austin, Texas and her own personal experiences with Not Having and Hardship) requested we make Kidney Stew, a family recipe for diced kidneys in a German-style sour sauce. This recipe is from my husband's childhood; he learned to make it from his mother, who learned to make it from her mother. When my mother-in-law made this in the seventies, kidneys were cheaply bought. Raising our own meats as we do now, we utilize all parts of the animals, including the kidneys. This is not a glamorous dish but a favorite family recipe enjoyed equally whether living in poverty, or with plenty.



Kidney Stew or German-style Kidneys in Sour Sauce

Prepare kidneys by peeling and then soaking in salted water or water with 1-2 T. vinegar for one hour (optional, if you know the freshness and source of your meats). Remove all fatty bits and then dice beef, pork or lamb kidneys: 1 beef kidney, 4 pork kidneys or 6-8 lamb kidneys for a family of five.

Heat: 2 T. each butter and canola oil

Dice: 1/2 - 1 onion
Saute onion until lightly browned, 10 minutes or so. Add diced kidneys (drain if they were soaked) and continue cooking until pinkish-brown, 5 minutes or so.

Add: 1/3 - 1/2 c. flour
Brown lightly.

Stir in:
1 1/2 c. water or stock
2 T. vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Dash Worcestershire Sauce

Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and make a smooth sauce. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add more water, if needed and/or vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over toast, rice, potatoes or noodles with a small pitcher of vinegar for those who want to add more at the table.

One Baa-d Truffle!

It is a (relatively) well-known fact that I have no problem (usually) eating cute and cuddly animals, but I can't quite bring myself (yet) to bite off this little guys head. Yet. He is a truffle after all, and I'll only be able to resist the chocolate temptation for so long.

Arabian Pizza

Arabesque -A Taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon by Claudia Roden is an absolutely gorgeous book I received as a gift from my youngest daughter a few years ago. Recipes, history, culture, and personal insight are all interwoven within its pages to create a delightful read for home cooks, like myself, who are interested in exploring the foods of these countries. Since we make homemade pizza almost every week, I was immediately intrigued by her recipe for Arabian 'Little Meat Pizzas.' I like to try different types of pizzas, and she offers several variations for these. Instead of making little ones as she suggests, I prefer to make regular-sized pizzas. I have made slight variations of this recipe several times now -and it always quickly disappears.



Last week when I made this pizza, I simply used half of the dough from a whole wheat farmhouse bread I was making (and crumbled on a bit of leftover feta we had in the fridge), but I've also made the traditional yogurt and olive oil dough very similar to the one in Arabesque for this pizza. It was good on both types of crust.

Pizza Dough
Mix:

1/4 c. warm water
1 T. yeast

Mix:
3 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4 c. olive oil

Add frothy yeast and 1 c. warmed yogurt. Mix and knead to make a smooth dough (10 minutes or so), adding more flour or water as needed. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave to raise until doubled in size. Deflate, and flatten out onto an oiled pizza sheet, or make several smaller pizzas and place on oiled baking sheets.



Arabian Pizza

Mix:
1 lb. ground lamb or goat
1 onion, diced (Claudia Roden's instructions are to finely chop the onion in a food processor and then drain it of its juices. Being rather lazy, I simply diced and mixed it in, but this does result in a lot of excess moisture)
3 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, well-drained
2 T. pomegranate molasses
1/2 t. each allspice and salt
1/4 c. pine nuts or chopped slivered almonds

Spread meat mixture evenly onto pizza dough. Bake 400 degrees for 15-25 minutes (depending on size of pizzas), or until done.

Risotto and Homemade Stock

Every food writer and cookbook will tell you you should make your own chicken broth and/or similar stocks. They tell you it's a cinch to make, it tastes vastly superior to the store bought stuff, and it is very economical to do. You simply save all bones, roast carcasses, etc. in Ziploc bags in the freezer and then one day when you have time to putter in the kitchen, you put them in a pot, add onion, celery, carrot, black peppercorns and a good tablespoon of salt, cover it with water and completely cook the essence out of it all. I am pretty good about putting meaty bones in bags in the freezer, but in all honesty, I buy my fair share of Swanson's-style broth, too. I just don't always think far enough ahead to have the stock made in time before I need to use it. The other day, I decided I wanted to make risotto. I decided this early enough in the day, and on a day when I was home, and since all those bags of bones were falling out of the freezer onto the floor every other time we opened the door, and the cupboards (and freezer) were bare of any ready-made broth, I made homemade broth. I filled my pressure cooker with frozen bones and stuff, cooked it all 20 minutes at high pressure, left it to cool, and then strained the broth off. It was incredibly delicious, and the remaining bones and stuff made an old farm dog very happy. Broth actually IS a cinch to make, and I froze half of what I made, ready and waiting for the next time I want to make risotto.

Separate from the homemade broth issue, there is lots of grumbling about the actual act of making risotto. Oh sure, it's fantastic and all that, the grumblers say, but you have to stand there and stir it for 20 minutes, and who has the time? There is a pressure cooker recipe, I have made it and I admit, it's good, but honestly, I LIKE stirring the risotto for those twenty minutes. I like to clear the decks (OK, no one expect me to do ANYTHING for the next twenty minutes -I'm making risotto!) and simply focus on doing one thing: stirring. OK, two things, if I drink a glass of the wine while I'm standing there stirring. It is a simple yet extravagant dish, and probably one of my favorite things to eat. With broiled lamb chops and a green vegetable (we had frozen broccoli from last summer) or salad, it is hard to beat. Except maybe as leftovers, either simply reheated, or mixed with a beaten egg and Italian bread crumbs, then formed into little risotto cakes and fried in olive oil.

Risotto

Melt:

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

Add:

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

5-6 mushrooms, chopped (optional)

Saute a few minutes. Add:

1 1/2 c. Arborio rice

Cook, stirring for a few minutes then add:

1/2-1 c. white wine (optional) If you open a bottle of wine for this, you can drink a glass while you're doing all that stirring. And if you freeze the last 1/2-1 cup of wine in the bottle, you will be ready for the next time you want to make risotto and don't have a bottle of white wine at hand.

Add, 1/2 - 1 c. at a time, 1 quart hot stock (preferably homemade) over twenty minutes, stirring constantly while risotto simmers.

When rice is done (al dente) stir in:

1/3 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

pinch white pepper

salt to taste (AFTER adding the Parmesan)

Cover with a lid, remove from heat, and let set a few minutes before serving.

Eating Is An Agricultural Act

"Some, I know, will think it bloodthirsty or worse to eat a fellow creature you have known all its life. On the contrary, I think, it means that you eat with understanding and with gratitude." -Wendell Berry

"Eating is an agricultural act, a political act. Eating ends the annual drama of the food economy that begins with planting and birth." -Wendell Berry

Shepherdess Macaroni and Cheese

January in the Pacific Northwest is cold, wet, dark and gray. One of the bright spots in the month is having lambs. This is Little Big Guy born in October, making him several months older than our other three black lambs born last month. I love everything about having lambs and being their shepherdess.



Every January I make shepherdess-style macaroni and cheese, at our house aka Tamburger or Lamburger Helper. 'Bake until bubbly' is the sort of directions that I am drawn to this time of year, and with several odd bits of various cheeses lying about that should be used up, and ground lamb (and/or goat) in the freezer, this can be made without a trip to the store. The best macaroni and cheese is made from scratch, Comfort Food with a capital C, and the very best is whatever version you (or your mother or grandmother) make, and whatever style that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it. Some like myself, add ground meat and/or chilies, some use the sharpest cheese, one particular cheese, or a blend of several, and some prefer whole wheat pasta instead of semolina. The point being, that if you make a sauce with care for those you love, it will be the best, whatever style you make.

Shepherdess Macaroni and Cheese

Cook al dente 12-16 oz. small shell or elbow pasta

Meanwhile:
Saute 1/2 -1 lb ground lamb (or goat) and 1/2 onion. Set aside.

In a separate pan
Melt: 4 T. butter (you can use olive oil instead of butter, if you prefer)
Add: 1/3 c. flour
Cook a bit without browning. Stirring well with a gravy whisk or wooden spoon,
Add: 2 1/2 c. milk (whole, 2 %, 1/2 c. of cream as part of measure, if you like), making a smooth sauce.

Stir in:
2 1/2 c. cheese -grated cheddar, a mix of cheddar and Pepper-Jack, diced cream cheese, or whatever you have. I used Edam, Farmstead Gouda and an American style blend this time. I don't measure the cheese, but guesstimate for more or less that amount.

Butter well a 9 x 13 Pyrex dish, and sprinkle with Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Mix drained pasta, cheese sauce, and cooked ground meat together (in whichever pan used that appears able to hold all), then pour into casserole. Sprinkle with more bread crumbs and/or shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. Bake 350 degrees for 20-40 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. I served this with Irish Soda Bread -Comfort with a capital C.



After using up the odd cheeses, I noticed a pint of leftover sliced strawberries in the fridge that I felt should also be used up soon. With sliced rhubarb in the freezer, I had everything needed to make an amazing crumble, which could have very easily baked alongside the mac and cheese -if I'd have thought of that, which I didn't, but it could have.



Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble is fantastic, a snap to put together, and it disappeared in no time.

Mix together in 8 inch square Pyrex dish:
1 qt. frozen rhubarb, thawed
1 pint sliced sweetened strawberries
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste
3 T. cornstarch

Mix in food processor and spread evenly on top:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar or brown sugar
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. butter
Bake 350 degrees for 25-55 minutes.

A Shepherdess' Best Friend

You might think a shepherdess' best friend would be her trusty sheep dog, or the man she's been happily married to for twenty some odd years, but no, a shepherdess' best friend is her crock-pot. I love mine. A crock-pot makes dinner all on its own, while you do whatever stuff you want, or need, to do elsewhere. Having used my crock-pot several times this week, I am reminded of just how wonderful it is. Granted, meals from the crock-pot are not always the most photogenic, but like a true best friend, it is reliable and always there for me, consistently providing delicious and satisfying meals with a minimum of effort.



Last night was lamb stew made in the crock-pot, and biscuits quickly baked in the oven. I firmly believe at the end of the day there are very few things better than an old-fashioned stew.



Mid-week I put pork country-style ribs in the crock-pot with green sauce and a bit of orange juice, left it to cook on high for 6 hours, then shredded the meat and removed the bones.



I added cooked black beans and some leftover rice before serving. Wrapped in a warm flour tortilla with lettuce and cilantro, grated Pepper Jack cheese, diced onions, pickled jalapenos and a hot green taco sauce, this made an amazing burrito filling.



These ribs were made early in the week and were scrumptious. I added the last spoonfuls of a couple of jams in the fridge to use them up, which were very tasty additions but not necessary. I think this recipe invites improvised additions and substitutions, but this was our only package of beef short ribs from our beef-for-lamb swap we did with The Soup Queen, so I'll have to wait till next year to make it again. Tonight I'm making a roast chicken and baked potatoes in the oven, and Grandma's Baked Beans in the crock-pot.

Sweet and Spicy Soy-glazed Beef Short Ribs
Brown 1-2 lbs. beef short ribs and place in oval shaped crock-pot.
Mix:
1/4 diced onion
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 minced garlic clove
1 T. minced candied ginger
1/4 c. each molasses, Chinese plum sauce, hoisin sauce, and sweet chili garlic sauce
2 T. orange marmalade
1 T. each red pepper jam, sesame oil and balsamic vinegar

Cook on high 4 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice.

"The Middle East on a Flatbread"

2011 -The Year of the Meatball! Are you ready? My daughter gave me The Meatball Cookbook Bible for my birthday in December, and I gave her a cupcake cookbook for Christmas. We are both expecting lots of good things to be cooked by the other in the coming year. She gets exasperated with me because I usually look at a recipe (or two or three) for inspiration, and then follow my own intuition. She feels you should at least follow it exactly the first time. Nevertheless, this first meatball recipe of the year is one her and I have made before, or rather I make the meatballs and she does the rest, and is adapted from a recipe for Lamb Kofte in Bon Appetit January 2010. It isn't difficult to make, despite the multiple components, and we were done in under an hour, start to finish. The most difficult part, depending on where you live, might be finding pomegranate molasses. There really isn't a substitute for its unique flavor and it is worth the effort.

Mix:

1 lb. ground lamb

peppermint from 4 tea bags (or 2 T. dried mint or 4 T. fresh)

2 T. finely minceded onion

2 finely minced garlic cloves

1 1/2 T. Hungarian paprika

1 1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

1/4 t. cayenne

Form walnut-sized meatballs. These can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Halve and cut thinly crosswise, 1 large onion. Saute in 1 T. olive oil in caste iron skillet, until golden (8-10 minutes). Remove onions and place on baking sheet in 300 degree oven to keep warm. Add 1 T. olive oil and fry meatballs until done (7-8 minutes). Add meatballs to baking sheet in oven. Wrap 4-6 pita breads in foil and put in the oven, alongside the onions and meatballs, to warm.

To make the Syrian red pepper sauce, add to browned bits in pan:

1/2 c. jarred diced pimentos, drained
1/2 c. water

2-3 T. pomegranate molasses

Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, reducing it.

The next time we make this -and we will make this fantastic meal again! -I'm going to substitute the Red Pepper-Pomegranate Jam I recently made, inspired by this Syrian red pepper sauce, for the red peppers and molasses.

While all the frying is going on, mix the yogurt sauce:

1 c. plain yogurt

1-2 T. tahini

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

To serve, halve warm pitas, tuck in some meatballs and onions (you might want to transfer them to a platter first, instead of my slobbish oven sheet presentation used here), and top with red pepper and yogurt sauces. Don't forget the napkins.

Little Big Guy

The lamb born in late October, our most recent baby farm animal.

Lamb, Lentils and Lemons

"A Confession: watching almost any animal for long enough makes me wonder how it tastes." -Andrew Beahrs, Twain's Feast

Tis the season for lamb -new lambs are being born now, and last year's lambs have just been butchered. The reality of home raised food is that our meat has a face. I've spent the last two days packaging lamb for the freezer, and thinking of all the different and delicious ways to cook and serve lamb: roast leg of lamb, lamb chops (we had some last night for dinner and they were delicious!), lamb shanks, lamb burgers, shepherds pie, lamb curries, and lamb stews. I made a dozen packages of cubed lamb -and thought of stews. Lamb goes well with lentils -they're paired frequently in many ethnic recipes- and I plan to make these three variations on lamb and lentil stew starting with the Mediterranean-style tonight. They all begin with the same base of browned lamb, onions, broth and lentils, and finish with the addition of lemon juice. The variation is in the spices (and vegetables) added, and the possibilities seem almost endless.

Lamb, Lentils and Lemon Stews

To make in a crock-pot, heat a large skillet or caste iron pan. To make in a pressure cooker, or an enameled Dutch oven, heat and add:

2 T. olive oil

Add and brown:

1 1/2 lbs. cubed lamb stew meat (with or without bones)

Add and cook a few minutes:

3 minced or sliced garlic cloves

1 c. chopped onion or leeks

1 chopped carrot

Add:

1 c. dried green lentils

2 c. stock or water

1/2 - 1 t. salt

1/8 - 1/4 t. ground black pepper

For Mediterranean-style (adapted from allrecipes.com) add:

14 oz. can or 1 pint jar diced tomatoes

1/2 t. each Italian seasoning, dried thyme, sage and basil

For Curried-style (adapted from Molly Wizenberg) add:

1-2 T. curry powder

1-2 t. garam masala

For Moroccan-style (adapted from Lorna Sass) add:

8-10 pitted prunes

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. garam masala

1 lb. eggplant, peeled and cubed

For cooking in a pressure cooker, lock on the lid and bring to high pressure. Cook for 12 minutes then allow to drop naturally. If using an enameled Dutch oven, simmer covered until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. To make in a crock-pot, brown meat, add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Stir in 1-2 T. lemon juice to taste before serving. Serve with additional lemon wedges and if desired, any of the following toppings of choice: sliced green onion, yogurt and minced mint, or crumbled feta cheese. Vegetables can also be added during cooking: potatoes or Swiss Chard added with the lentils, or spinach during last few minutes of the cooking time -or leave them and the carrots out. One can't go wrong with a stew of lamb and lentils.

Harvests

We start harvesting lettuces in May; strawberries and spinach in June; garlic in July;



probably close to 200 lbs total of 4 types of potatoes in August;



cucumbers for making pickles, blackberries for making jam, and the pig went to the butcher in September;



the meat chickens and more rabbits will be in October;



and lamb and winter squash before November. Each harvest is its own seasonal celebration for us, plus our hard work puts a lot of great food in the freezer with more sealed up in jars in the pantry. We eat local and seasonal, in the truest sense, all year round and are harvesting almost half of the year. A picture in the paper yesterday (click here) , Holding fast to the farm life, reminded me that fall is the season for harvest celebrations and despite the lousy gardening year we've had -we have a lot to celebrate. It's easy to take any lifestyle for granted but I can't help thinking while doing chores most mornings, how truly lucky I am living this life that I do. I am blessed and every day (and most meals) are a celebration of our lifestyle -which I don't take for granted.