Christmas Cassoulet Experiment

We didn't have anywhere to rush off to on Christmas Day this year, no family brunch to attend. This gave us more time to relax but presented a conundrum: what to have for Christmas dinner.

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I got off the waitlist for the Rancho Gordo bean club this fall. (I know, I know.) My first shipment came with Cassoulet beans. I only had a vague sense of what cassoulet was. I dutifully googled cassoulet recipes. 6 hours in the oven? Waaaaaaaaaaaaay more meat than I ever cook? I can use them in a vegetarian soup, thank you very much.

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I half jokingly, half seriously mentioned cassoulet while looking up recipes again. "What's that?" "A French casserole with duck, but we could use chicken, and sausage and ham hocks." "Okay." "Oh, and the beans I got." "Sure. Make a shopping list."

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After researching a dozen recipes, I tabulated the baking times and temps. Tried to balance slow cooked goodness and not running the oven all day long, deliciousness without too much fat. I followed Rancho Gordo and Serious Eats' recipes the most closely but was inspired by many others and my own instincts. Here's what I did. 

What I did

 

0.8 lb Rancho Gordo Cassoulet beans

0.5 lb  loose sausage

3 Chicken thighs with skin and bones

½ large onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1.5 Bay leaf

2 sprigs of parsley

1 stalk celery, diced, + some celery greens

5ish cloves garlic, divided

~1 tsp dried thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

5 peppercorns

6 cloves

3 Tbsp tomato paste

 

1. Soak beans overnight in salted water.

2. Drain beans and add new water. Cook beans with herbs (parsley, celery greens, rosemary; dried thyme, peppercorns, cloves in a tea bag) and garlic. 18 minutes in instant pot. Natural release for 20 minutes. [Next time cook less or on stovetop. Did not hold shape.] Remove herbs.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken thighs in a bit of canola oil on medium high. 10 minutes first side, skin side down. 5ish minutes the second side.

4. Remove chicken. Divide sausage into 6 patties. Brown sausage on both sides. Remove sausage. Drain most of extra fat.

5. Saute onion, carrot, and celery. Add garlic when mirepoix begins to soften.  Add tomato paste. Puree veggies with a bit of the bean liquid.

6. Layer ingredients in ovenproof dish. Put ⅓ of beans on bottom. Mix in some of the vegetable puree. Place the sausage patties on top. Add a thin layer of beans and vegetable puree. Place the chicken on top, skin side up. Add the remainder of the beans and vegetable puree. Add enough bean liquid to submerge the top layer of beans.

7. Bake for 1.5 hours at 325F. Break skin on top and stir it back into the top layer. Bake 40 minutes at  335F. Debate if ready. Break skin and stir back in. Bake 20 more minutes at 335F. Serve.

    

    We served with rolls and a kale-apple-carrot-pecan salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was good, and I'd make it again, yet I wouldn't seek it out or make it a must-do tradition. Part of the enjoyment was in the experiment itself.

Baked Oatmeal

 I never liked grits.

For a Girl Raised In The South it feels like sacrilege. And yet, for 30 years, it was my truth. 

So even though I now order shrimp and grits at restaurants and make grits bowls with roasted veggies often enough that I used up the entire bag a houseguest gave us, it still feels like a primary* part of my identity is not liking grits.

 Christmas smells like cheese grits. Which I would dutifully try. Eating my grit and then going back to coffee cake. (At least until my last healthy holiday at home, when I actually liked them. And then ate a serving. And so John doesn't know that I don't like grits.)

We talked about making cheese grits for this Covidtine Christmas, but we used up our fancy houseguest bag. So switching to the baked oatmeal that John's mom makes felt reasonable. It even used up the can of pears that neither of us remembers buying. Acquisition from a previous roommate? Perhaps. Luxury anyway? Yes.

Baked Oatmeal

1.5 cups rolled oats (4.5 ounces)

1.5 cups thinly sliced peaches (canned peaches in juice may be used; or pears/blueberries. Could add nuts)

1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350º.

Grease 8 inch square baking pan. (Or whatever casserole/dutch oven you want to use.)

Combine oats, fruit, and sugar. 

In another bowl combine egg, vanilla, almond extract, and milk. Whisk together

Add liquids to oat mixture. Mix well. 

Pour into baking dish and bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

*Primary as in original. Not primary as in most important.

Pecan Pie

Every Thanksgiving, I look up a bunch of pecan pie recipes. I look in church cookbooks; google for recommendations; check blogs that I trust. I even look at the pecan pie recipe on the corn syrup bottle. And every year, I end up making a recipe that’s a combination of several of the above, but I never record what I did. So this year, I’m writing it down. Not necessarily to repeat, but such that I remember what I’ve tried before.

Crust (Based on Julia’s)

2/3 cup white flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
2 Tbsp shortening
3 Tbsp cold water

Make crust. Refrigerate.

Filling*

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup + enough molasses to get up to a scant half cup
1 1/4 cup good quality pecans
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs beaten
6 Tbsp butter

Heat the butter, sugar, and syrup on the stovetop until boiling. (Roll out crust while waiting to heat up. Stick 9in pie plate back in fridge once prepped.) Take off heat. Stir in vanilla, eggs, and pecans. Pour into the prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45ish minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours+ before cutting.

*After designing this from a hodge podge of recipes, I noticed the pie recipe on the pecan bag is remarkably similar.
 

Eggplant Kottu Roti

 Kottu is a Sri Lankan street dish made with godamba roti stir fried with curry and eggs. I discovered it through Kottu House, a now closed restaurant[1] on the LES, which my coworkers and I frequented when our coworking space was around the corner. Even after we moved offices to another neighborhood, a couple of us would periodically venture back to get our favorites. My go to was the Garden Kottu: an eggplant, chiles, and tomato sauce curry.

In the spring, I googled for recipes but didn't find quite what I was looking for, and some of the ones that appeared more authentic and reasonable had ingredients I didn't have on hand: pandan leaves, Sri Lankan curry powder, curry leaves, godamba roti. Normally, I'd be up for the adventure of tracking them all down. This is New York City, after all. But with the quarantine, we were limiting grocery shopping trips, and I wasn't going to venture into a store unless I was stocking up.

A couple of recipes mentioned Indian paratha as a substitute for roti. It's flaky like Sri Lankan roti. I grabbed a pack of frozen paratha from Trader Joe's and stuck it in the freezer. Last week, I bought a giant eggplant from the farmer's market and decided it was finally time to try to make kottu. I ended up combining four recipes, using some substitutions that they suggested (e.g. garam masala as the curry powder). This is clearly not an authentic recipe, yet the taste was a reasonable approximation of what I remembered. It was milder than the ones at Kottu House (the mild there was approximately the same spiciness as medium at many Thai restaurants). Next time I'd add another hot pepper or more curry powder or both. I'll continue to experiment with it.

While I made this with the Garden Kottu in mind, it was a good way to use up a variety of CSA veggies that were lingering in the fridge. The set of veggies isn't a precise prescriptions. Feel free to mix it up. You can even do a coconut milk based curry if you'd like.

[1] Given my last post, it seems like a trend of quarantine is me attempting to replicate favorite foods from defunct NYC restaurants.

 Ingredients

• Fennel seeds
• Green coriander (my cilantro went to seed, so I channeled Samin Nosrat)
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• a bit of red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• powdered ginger since I was out of fresh
• garam masala
• 2 jalapenos deseeded and diced (could have done 3 for this quantity veggies)
  
• 1 green pepper deseeded and diced
• 1 turnip julienned
• 3ish cups eggplant cubed
• some thinly sliced cabbage (my pan was full, so I didn't use much)
  
• 1 tomato diced
• the end of a tube of tomato paste
•  2 Tbsp soy sauce
• oil
  
•  2.5 eggs (I did 2 eggs + an egg white as I had egg whites on hand), beaten
  
• 2.5 paratha (sri lankan roti is traditional)

Method

1. If using frozen paratha, cook in frying pan per directions on package. Meanwhile, chop veggies.
2. Scramble eggs in a bit of oil. Set eggs and paratha to the side.
3. Add a bit more oil to the pan. Toast fennel seeds. Add coriander. For less than a minute.
4. Add the leeks and red onion, garlic, jalapenos, and bell pepper. Saute for a couple minutes.
5. Add eggplant and saute until it's softened.
6. Add garam masala, tomato, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Let the tomato get juicy and create a bit of sauce.
7. Add turnip and cabbage. Cook until everything looks almost done.
8. Slice the paratha (medium sized, shouldn't be too small). Add paratha and scrambled eggs to the pan with everything else. Toss and cook for a couple more minutes.
9. Remove from heat and serve.
   

Black bean hummus

For a few weeks in May each year, Runner and Stone makes a cheddar ramp spelt bread. I love it and try to seek it out each year. Perhaps, I'm a sucker for seasonal specials. Last year, I missed it. This year, I called ahead, found out it was only available on weekends, and prepaid for a loaf for Saturday.

After devouring the first couple of slices straight, I decided to make black bean hummus to go with the bread. The first time I remember regularly eating, or perhaps even trying, black bean hummus was when I interned in Boulder a decade ago. (I know.) Blue Moose of Boulder, a local brand, made a black bean and lime hummus which I ate with Udi's cheddar jalapeno bread from the farmer's market. A quintessential food from that summer.

Later, Queens Kickshaw became a favorite place to meet friends when I ventured to Astoria. Julia took me there first. Another time, I met Mabel for dinner only to find out that she and Matt had gotten married at City Hall that morning. (I insisted that we get carrot cake for dessert.) Kickshaw closed in 2017, yet I still periodically google their menu looking for the gouda grilled cheese. Black bean hummus, guava jam, pickled jalapeños, side green salad with jalapeño vinaigrette.

This time I didn't have gouda on hand. Instead, I created an open face sandwich by smearing cream cheese nearing expiration on the bread, followed by black bean hummus, topped with guava paste. Would make again.

I don't have an exact recipe for black bean hummus. I make it by feel each time. The below are the typical ingredients, though I suspect black beans are the only ingredient that I always include.

• Black beans, either canned or already cooked (can use a mixture of chickpeas and black beans. I typically use all black beans)
• Tahini
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin
• Pickled hot peppers
• Garlic
• Lime. Lots of lime. Add a bit of vinegar if you don't have enough lime.
• Olive oil and/or bean water
• Salt, if the beans weren't salted

Blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Salad Strategy

CSA day! Today we got spinach, white scallions and green garlic (both already chopped off with ends in water in the windowsill, because let's grow more flavor), salsify (which I have never had),  carrots, purple radishes (so pretty! and with greens attached), scarlet turnips, more carrots (there were two bags), and zucchini. It seems early for the zukes. I want asparagus. That's a proper spring vegetable! And I haven't had any yet because it hasn't come in the box and we have enough vegetables that I'm not buying it from the store.

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For lunch, I made a salad. Today's was a simple salad: spinach, chickpeas, radish, carrot, turnip,  feta, dressing. Though I'm coming to think of most of my salads as fancy to present, simple to make. Assembly of a basic components.

These are the building blocks of most of my salads.

• Greens
• Grains
• Lentils/beans (Bonus if you've been marinating them.)
• Raw veggies (Do you have a mandoline? It makes my salads feel very fancy.)
• Cooked veggies (I've been using this recipe quite frequently recently)
• Seasonal fresh fruit
• Fritters (Smashed veggies, falafel, risotto fritters. Meat options would probably go at this level too. Or a fried egg.)
• Cheese
• Dried fruit, whatever the season
• Nuts/seeds (Maybe even a savory granola? Croutons if you can! Crispy beans if you'd rather.)

Choose items from at least three of the categories. Probably not more than five or six of them. Usually I build my salad with things at the top of the list going into the plate first as a base and things at the bottom of the list being added later as toppings. Add a dressing or sauce,

Some winners from this winter's boxes:

• Radishes sliced paper thin + grapefruit segments + goat cheese + rose vinaigrette
• Mixed greens + sliced carrots and radishes + smashed sunchokes + sriracha-mayo-lemon dip
• Mixed greens + marinated lentils + mixed roasted veggies + blue cheese + a homemade balsamic dressing
• Kale + chickpeas + daikon radish + caesar dressing

The Box

In the past 12 hours, I have texted with friends in opposite coastal cities about signing up for a summer CSA box. I have also unloaded the Winter CSA box that my household received today. And signed up for our summer shares of produce, fruit, eggs, bread, and gluten-free bread.

I know not everyone can sign up for a CSA. For one thing, they're not actually available everywhere. There aren't really farmer's markets around our parents, though there may be people selling produce out the back of their pick-up. (I googled anyway and was happily surprised that the state agriculture department lists one in their county. Their website was not operational though.) Second, they're not always affordable, especially for everyone worried about pay in this time of record-splintering time.* (This morning was not cheap for ours. It is 5-6 months of food after all.) That said this is the year to do a CSA, if you are at all thinking about it.

Why CSA this season?

1. Seasonal produce. Support local farmers. You know. The usual reasons.

2. This is the year to both make sure that you are getting fresh produce AND also limit contact while obtaining said produce.

3. You can pick it up outside. My current one involves absolutely zero contact with another human.

4. It shortens trips to grocery stores and farmer's markets. (Once our fruit share kicks in, we'll go to the store for dry goods, dairy, juice, and citrus?) Reduces viral load for everyone.

5. Let's face it, travel ain't happening this CSA season like it would in other seasons. So you don't need to think as much about when you're going to be gone and not use the box. You will be there. You will want to eat.

6. It lets you pre-buy food AND also not take options out of the grocery store for the people who can't afford to stock up.

7. It is the year of home cooking experimentation! Join the fun! What better way than the classic? 

In the spirit of cooking experimentation, I'm going to try to share some of my strategies for cooking through the box. Maybe we can think of it as our virtual cookbook to share comfort foods with friends during this time of distance? Or is that what this blog was originally?

* I get that it's not quite the spirit of supporting the farmer, but I would love if CSA's did a monthly signup that would match WIC/EBT dollars the way some farmer's markets do. Guarantee food delivery throughout the month.

Sick Food Stockpile

I look at the post I wrote two weeks ago and it already feels so long ago.

That morning I was feeling my disappointment in the primary elections. Later in the week, I listened to the comments around campaign suspensions. I watched interviews with candidates still running. And rewatched Warren again and again and again.

I was aware of coronavirus being in the US, I'd even already bought the next pack of toilet paper that we need. When I went to the grocery store that week I stocked up a little bit more than usual. And in every grocery run after that. (Our cheese drawer is a little bit ridiculous right now.)

Now it feels like we're in the last gasp of breath before the storm. We know it's coming, but we don't know how bad it's really going to be. We social distance and shelter in place. We disinfect door handles and wash hands as soon as we enter the apartment. Take off the clothes we were wearing outside and put them in the laundry.

I wrote notes on post-its and left them around the floor.
Hi Neighbor,
Don't want you to feel abandoned during our social distancing. If you can't make a supply/grocery run, I'm happy to be on your list of people who may be able to help.
Sarah ###

My pantry is blessedly (or embarrassingly) full for someone who lives in an apartment. It's the way I've lived ever since I lived an hour away from the town where I did most of the grocery shopping and 100 miles away from Walmart. Even now, with a view of the grocery store from my window, I keep extra groceries in the closet. (In my defense, a lot of it is the different varieties of gluten free flour. And you don't want to run out of the right cereals, because the stores that sell those are farther away.)  This is how while the media reports of buying beans, rice, and canned tomatoes, I end up buying cheese, hummus, bananas, and wasabi. For us, it's mostly been a usual week's grocery run.

We have food in the apartment to last us for two weeks if (when?) we need to quarantine. The trick for now is anticipating what food we want if we're sick. Normally, the healthy person would go to the store to get the ginger ale, the bananas, the potatoes, or the rotisserie chicken. (I've even dashed in for those when I've been the sick one.) We won't do that this time.

Instead, I've set aside a box of food for if my time comes. Trying to guess what I'll want (that will also keep for however long it needs).

•  Rolled oats
•  Candied ginger
•  Raisins
•  Box of soup that's been in the pantry since we moved here
•  Dehydrated soup mix
•  Saltine crackers
•  Jar of applesauce
•  Carton of apple juice
•  Six pack of ginger ale

I left the tea (licorice!) in the cupboard. Ideally we'll have potatoes and bananas on hand. Scrambled eggs to be soft on my throat--does that mean making sure that I have at least a half dozen on hand? What about when I want toast with my eggs? I think this is when I message the neighbors I've only met through text and ask them to make a run for me? Or call someone from church for the same?

How are you holding up? What are you reaching for in the pantry or refrigerator? Are you saving anything special?

Saturday mornings, Spring 2020

Saturday morning pancakes are a breakfast tradition. While I am a firm believer that nothing will top Dad's multigrain masterpieces, I am proud that we found Alice Medrich's basic gluten free pancake recipe to experiment with for the celiac. (Flavor Flours is our go-to baking cookbook these days.)

During Lent this year, our household is giving up sweets. Which apparently means no Saturday morning pancakes? (This is not the tradition I grew up with.) Since it's the one breakfast that we eat together, I still wanted something special. Even though our fast is a practice of self-discipline, I still want to mark it with more than the daily cereal/oatmeal/yogurt/smoothie/grapefruit. So we brainstormed brunch level breakfast ideas that are 1) not-sweet, 2) gluten-free, and 3) vegetarian. Not surprisingly, eggs play a key role. More suggestions welcome!

Lenten Brunch Brainstorm

  •  Breakfast taco
  •  Huevos rancheros
  •  Huevos divorcidos
  •  Migas
  •  Eggs in purgatory*
  •  Tomato shakshuka*
  •  Green shakshuka*
  •  Cheesy souffle with salad*
  •  Omelette*
  •  Roasted veggie hash with fried egg
  •  Grits bowl with veggies and side of fruit
  •  Congee
  •  Baked oatmeal

*Means that I want a version served with good bread or toast. Please omit for those for whom this is poison.