recipe: now is the time to eat your lawn

Every spring, for the past several years, I've been telling myself: "Mark, eat the dandelions in your yard. They're so good for you and I bet they taste great. The co-op is selling them for $3.00 a bunch!" It's a fleeting thought that evaporates with the summer heat, when the dandelions morph from almost-pretty spring flora into desolate, dried-up, seed dispersing weeds. With a new baby and toddler in the house, my approach to lawn care has dropped to historically low levels, if it can be considered "care" at all. The upside is that my small city lot is, quite honestly, a dandelion farm. During times of famine, Italian schoolchildren were sent to the fields to gather wild greens, so why not harvest some from your (chemical free) yard?

This reality most certainly keeps my neighbors up at night, but they're missing out. In fact, they're likely chatting, nervously, about my lawn over a bag of pre-washed lettuce from sunny California. At this time of year, at least in MN, the dandelions are lush and tender, the flower heads just beginning to emerge. Dandelion greens are a great substitute for spinach or arugula, so you can prepare them as you would any other dark leafy green, such as chard, kale, collard green, etc. They even taste great in a salad with vinaigrette.

recipe: sautéed dandelion greens
In recent months I've resorted to increasingly minimalistic techniques to put fresh food on the table quickly, while keeping two little ones out of trouble. Consequently, this recipe doesn't break any new ground, but it will give you an idea of how easy it is to prepare utilitarian sautéed greens, which make an excellent first course, side dish, or leftover ingredient for other dishes like omelets and quiches. It's also an excuse to put down the laptop and weed your yard or garden.

Note: Like spinach, dandelion greens will wilt to a mere fraction of their initial volume, so you can cook a lot of them at once. Just make sure you have enough of the other ingredients to season them well.

Ingredients

• One large bunch of trimmed, washed, and roughly chopped dandelion greens (two big fistfuls)
• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• olive oil
  
• balsamic vinegar
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Technique

1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet. When smoking, add the garlic and optional red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is very fragrant (but not brown), about 30 seconds.
2. Add the greens and stir them quickly as they wilt. Cook until greens are still bright in color, but quite tender (3-5 minutes).
   
3. Add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar (to taste), season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
   

*Serves 2-4 as a side dish

finally, a dessert recipe: clafoutis

In the minimalistic spirit of many other recipes on this blog, I bring you clafoutis - easily one of my favorite desserts of all time (and the first dessert recipe on HOUSEKEPT). There are only about five ingredients, all of which you should have on hand, so make it this weekend. I had the distinct pleasure of eating copious amounts of this pudding-like dish while studying in Pau, France. My host mother was from Limousin, a rustic region of France known for cherries, porcelain, and beef. At the time I was completely unaware of this wondrous dessert; that is, until my host mother prepared two of these in late spring when cherries are in season. Essentially a baked custard-like cake, clafoutis tastes a lot like a very thick crepe mixed with fresh cherries.

Clafoutis embodies what a rustic, homemade dessert should be - the effortless combination of a few pantry staples (sugar, eggs, and flour) and ripe, seasonal fruit. Because you mix the fruit into the batter, almost any fruit will work well. Countless cookbooks contain variations on the classic cherry version, but the most common other fruits would be berries, stone fruit (peaches, nectarines), or pears. The traditional recipe calls for kirsch, a cherry-based spirit, but you could also use cognac, armagnac, bourbon, or some other digestif-type booze. Now for the recipe...

After making clafoutis from quite a few different recipes, I think Anthony Bourdain came the closest to what I ate in France (though I really should ask my host mother) in Les Halles, his manifesto of a cookbook. As a stickler, he uses weight instead of volume for the dry ingredients, but you should be able to convert these quite easily. I made it with pears recently, but the same recipe works well for a number of different fruits.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs cherries or other fruit
  
• 3 ounces booze (kirsch, cognac, etc.)
  
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 oz sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 oz flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Technique

1. Place the cherries in a bowl and toss with the kirsch. Let macerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 9-10 inch baking dish with the butter and coat with a pinch or two of the sugar. Place the dish in the refrigerator.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, then add the sugar and beat well to fully incorporate.
4. Mix in the flour and the vanilla, stirring enough so that all the ingredients are homogenous but without overworking the flour.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cherries and their accumulated juice into the flour and egg mixture, then pull your dish out of the fridge and turn the mixture into it. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until a golden brown crust has formed on top. Also, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean - no wet.
6. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

broil your eggs for a change

The word "broiled" isn't the finest or most elegant, but the eggs that result from this recipe surely are, with very little effort. This is a great recipe for house guests, or a leisurely brunch with your mate sans children (although, kids like these eggs, too). I found this recipe in Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook, which I received as a gift from a good friend who also loves to eat. It's a very concise book that serves as a thoughtful introduction to French cooking, with an emphasis on simple, beautiful food, such as this dish.

As with most egg recipes, the key to this one is timing. The cooking times listed below work well for my oven and baking dish, but it will take you a few tries to perfect this recipe. The good news is that these eggs still taste good slightly overcooked, so don't worry if you miss the mark. It's also critical to use the best eggs you can find, since there isn't much else in the dish - 99 cent CostCo eggs will taste like 99 cents.

ingredients

• 8 very fresh, large eggs (organic, free range if at all possible)
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced with a knife (don't use a press, as it will taste too strong)
• 1/2 cup finely (and freshly) grated super-hard cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, minced (thyme, rosemary, basil, or parsley work well)
  
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 slices of crusty bread (toasted or warmed)

equipment

• 4 small gratin dishes (just large enough to hold 2 eggs) or a ceramic/glass baking dish (large enough so that 8 eggs are about 1.5 inches deep).

*I use a baking dish because I don't have gratin dishes, so the process and timing described below may not work as well for several smaller dishes.

technique

1. Preheat your oven using the broil setting (Note: my oven has a drawer-style broiler, below the main oven space. When I set it to broil the drawer and oven heat up, which is useful in this recipe.)
2. Using a fork, mix the garlic, herbs, and cheese in a small bowl until well combined.
   
3. Liberally grease the gratin dishes or baking dish with some of the butter. Pour in the cream so that it covers most of the bottom of the dish. Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and scatter these around the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and heat until the cream begins to bubble and brown slightly around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on stove top.
4. Carefully crack the eggs into the dish so that the yolks remain whole. Try to keep them evenly dispersed. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and the cheese/herb/garlic mixture.
   
5. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the whites begin to set up but the yolks and tops of the eggs are still liquid.
6. Move the dish into to the broiler drawer and cook 2-4 additional minutes, or until the top has browned slightly, the eggs are somewhat firm (it's good if the whites are a bit runny), and the yolks are still soft (some yolks may be softer than others - that's ok). This is the part of the recipe that takes the most practice, as it's really a visual judgment. Keep in mind that the eggs will continue to cook in the hot dish after you remove them from the broiler, so use a knife to see how thorough they're cooked and check them again after resting on the counter top for a few minutes.
7. To serve, use a knife to cut eggs into sections and use a spatula to gently place them on plates with the bread on the side.
   

*Serves 4 people

1 chicken = 4 meals - part 3

By now the vivid memories of grilling your chicken have faded. Your kids loved the chicken salad sandwiches, and you enjoyed a cool, simple green salad with chicken. Yet your work with this chicken is not quite complete. More flavor awaits in the picked over carcass that is chillaxin' in your freezer.

Homemade chicken stock is a lot less work than most people think. The ingredients are pantry staples and during summer months, the only challenge is keeping your house from heating up like a kiln. My home has very poor air conditioning, so I tend to make huge batches of stock in fall/winter/spring and freeze it for use throughout the year. If that's your preference, keep a large ziplock bag your freezer to collect chicken carcasses over several months.

As with the other posts in this series, the goal is to create something delicious out of very few ingredients. In this case, squeezing several meals out of one chicken. Rather than give you a soup recipe, I'm posting my favorite risotto recipe, which is truly memorable with the addition of homemade chicken stock.

Homemade Chicken Stock
This recipe appears, almost verbatim, in Mario Batali's Molto Italiano cookbook (the best Italian cookbook I've encountered). It yields approximately 8 cups of stock.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• bones, wings, and scraps from 2-3 whole chickens (you could cut this recipe in half if you only have parts from one chicken)
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 ribs celery
• 4 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 bunch parsley stems
  

Technique

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the chicken parts and brown all over, turning frequently. Transfer the chicken parts to a platter and reserve.
2. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot and add the water, tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley, and stir to dislodge the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook at a low simmer for 2 hours, or until reduced by half, occasionally skimming the fat.
3. Remove from the heat and strain into a large bowl, pressing on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract all the liquid. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate. For longer term storage, pour cooled stock into 1 quart freezer bags. Layer the bags on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer.

Classic Risotto
This recipe is also the work of Mario Batali. There are thousands of risotto recipes you could try, but why waste your time - this one is the best. Serve it with a salad for a light meal, as a smaller first course, or as a creamy bed of starchiness for a fine cut of meat. By the way, this recipe concludes our epic journey into the frugality and allure of whole-chicken cookery. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you've made any of these dishes, please post a comment!

*One recipe will yield about 4 main course portions or 6 first course portions

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken stock, heated until hot
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (something you would drink - pinot grigio works well)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or a high quality domestic equivalent, if you're a disciplined locavore)
  
• optional: 1 teaspoon saffron threads (for authentic risotto milanese)

Technique

1. If using saffron, add it to the hot stock and stir to infuse.
2. In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until almost smoking. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until toasted and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the wine, then add a large ladleful of the stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding the stock a ladleful at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed each time before adding more, until the rice is tender and creamy yet still a little al dente, about 20 minutes (you may have a little stock left over).
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmagiano until well mixed. Divide risotto among four warmed plates, and serve with additional Parmagiano.
   

Photo credit: JaseMan on flickr

1 chicken = 4 meals - part two

So let's say you've just finished eating a whole grilled chicken. Basking in the glow of your satiated friends, and a couple bottles of Portuguese Alentejo red, don't forget that your work with this chicken is not yet complete. Rather than throw that gnarly-looking carcass in the garbage, wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator for use in one of the following two recipes. Even though you've removed the breasts and legs, that carcass contains a lot of small, tasty morsels of chicken that work perfectly in other dishes. The wings work particularly well for this, if you didn't eat them when the chicken was grilled.

There are certainly more than two ways to incorporate leftover chicken into another meal, but these two recipes are my favorites, are very easy to make (they use kitchen staples), and really showcase the great flavor of grilled chicken.

It requires a bit of time and patience to scrape every bit of chicken from the bones, but it's well worth the effort. Using your perfectly clean hands, pull every visible piece of meat off of the carcass and wing bones. As you pick it clean, make sure you do not include any cartilage, bone fragments, or other tough bits, as they are quite offensive in the mouth. Reserve the stripped carcass and any loose bones. Meal #4 in this series is a risotto made with homemade chicken stock, so unless you're going to use them immediately, put the bones in a freezer bag and save for a rainy day.

Meal #2: Chicken Salad Sandwiches
The individual amounts of each ingredient varies widely, depending on how much chicken you have. Fortunately, it's easy to make these according to your tastes, so combine ingredients incrementally, to make sure it has the right flavors and consistency.

Ingredients

• leftover grilled chicken, chopped into small pieces
• high quality mayonnaise (if you don't make your own, try Mrs. Clarks, from Iowa)
  
• minced onion or scallions
• Dijon-style mustard
• fresh herbs (basil, thyme, parsley, etc.)
• anything else you like (walnuts, anchovies, olives, capers, cornichons, etc.)
• salt and pepper
  
• lettuce leaves
  
• bread slices
  

Technique
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix lightly to combine. Be careful not to add too much mayo and mustard too soon, as it will overpower the chicken. The result should be lightly dressed, yet stick together in a spoon.


Meal #3: Green Salad with Chicken
This is a great all purpose salad recipe, that can serve as the basis for many composed dinner salads, including the reknowned salade nicoise.

Ingredients

• leftover chicken, chopped into small pieces
• fresh field greens or lettuces
• parmesan shavings (use a vegetable peeler)
• walnuts
  
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
  
• dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• sea salt
  
• pepper

Technique

1. Make the vinegrette dressing. The exact proportion of vinegar to oil varies according to the type of vinegar used, and your own palate, but a general rule is 2 parts vinegar to 1 part oil. Smash the garlic clove with your hand or a chef's knife and place in a small cup/bowl. Add a small amount of red wine vinegar and set aside for 15-30 minutes. Then add 1 teaspoon mustard and whisk vigorously. Then slowly drizzle olive oil into vinegar (while whisking quickly) until desired consistence/taste is achieved. Set aside. (Note: you may need to increase the amounts if you're planning to server this salad to more than just a few people).
2. Dress the salad. Tear greens into small pieces and place into a large salad bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the greens and toss with salad tongs. Taste some of salad to determine how much more dressing you'll need. An overdressed salad can be soggy and overly acidic, so it helps to add the dressing in two rounds.
   
3. Pile the dressed greens on plates, and top with chicken, nuts, and parmesan shavings. Grind some pepper and sea salt over the finished salad. Serve with some big hunks of crusty bread for a filling weeknight meal or leisurely weekend lunch.
   

These recipes are a gateway to stress-free, simple meals that hardly require a recipe or a lot of time. Make them once and you can throw this blog post away forever (but forward it to a friend first). These meals emphasize my approach to cooking for a busy family (mine) - repurposing the leftovers from previous meals by simply adding a few quality ingredients found in most kitchens. The trick is to buy the best ingredients you can afford, as such simple meals will not hide the blandness of industrial chicken or junky vinegar.

Photo credit: protohiro on flickr

1 chicken = 4 meals - part one

For centuries, rural cooks have recognized the utility, versatility, and caloric value of eating the whole chicken. While it may seem convenient to buy packaged chicken parts (thighs, breasts, etc.) individually, purchasing a whole chicken is far more economical, and can save you valuable time by serving as the basis for several meals. The economics are quite simple: boneless, free range chicken breasts can run $7-$8 per pound at a co-op or grocery store, but a whole chicken may cost as little as $3 per pound from the same producer, and farmers' market vendors in your area may be selling chickens for even less. If you pay $12 for a 4 pound chicken, you get breasts, legs/thighs, wings, and a carcass for making stock (for only $4 more than just buying the breasts). As an added benefit, whole chickens are "handled" less by the processor, which likely means a lower risk of contamination, and you know all of the parts are from the same healthy-looking bird.

Separating a chicken at home is quite easy, and after you do it a few times it will be second nature. Many food writers have written about how to squeeze several meals out of one chicken, but given the number of tight pocketbooks out there, it seems appropriate to provide another variation on the theme. Here we go.

Meal #1: whole grilled chicken
July in Minnesota is hot, so in the summer I recommend grilling your whole chicken to capitalize on warm sunshine, and keep the heat out of your kitchen. My favorite grilled chicken recipe is "alla diavola," a simple Italian version with lots of garlic and red pepper flakes. I posted this recipe back in June of 2007, but I've pasted it below because I love it that much. Make it! During cooler seasons, meal #1 could be a simple roast chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken purchased from a quality take out place. The recipe below serves 4 people, but will leave little chicken leftover for meal #2. If you have a larger grill, it is possible to prepare 2 chickens, so that is a possibility if you have company or a larger family, and still want leftovers. After eating your grilled chicken, reserve the carcass and any remaining pieces to use in meal #2, which I'll write about in the next post.

*Note: this is an easy recipe to make, but since you have to brine the chicken, I recommend making it for an early weekend dinner. You could skip the brine with good results, but the brine adds another level of juiciness that is worth the extra step.


Chicken and Brine:

• 2 medium garlic heads
• 3 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds), butterflied and pounded (see below)

Garlic-Pepper Oil

• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Other

• vegetable oil for grill grate
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish

1. TO BUTTERFLY CHICKEN
Use kitchen shears to cut through bones on either side of backbone (see picture in this sequence), then remove and discard backbone. Flip chicken over and use heel of your hand to flatten breastbone. Cover chicken with paper towels to protect skin, then pound flat using meat pounder or rubber mallet.

*Note: This may seem tedious the first time you do it, but you'll get much quicker after making this recipe a few times.

2. TO BRINE THE CHICKEN
Combine garlic heads, bay leaves, and salt in gallon-size zipper lock bag; press out air and seal bag. Using rubber mallet or meat pounder, pound mixture until garlic cloves are crushed; transfer mixture to large container or stockpot and stir in 2 quarts cold water until salt is dissolved. Immerse chicken in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 2 hours.

3. FOR THE GARLIC-PEPPER OIL
While chicken is brining, heat garlic, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oil in small saucepan over medium heat until garlic is fragrant and sizzling and mixture registers about 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Measure 2 tablespoons garlic-pepper oil into 2 small bowls and set aside.

4. TO FLAVOR THE CHICKEN
Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin around the breast and thighs. Apply two tablespoons of the pepper oil underneath the loosened skin.

5. TO GRILL THE CHICKEN
Ignite about 6 quarts (1 large chimney, or about 6 pounds) charcoal briquettes and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill and bank half of coals on either side of grill, leaving midsection of grill free of coals. Position grill grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip small wad paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill grate. Position chicken skin-side down on grill grate over area with no coals; cover grill and fully open lid vents.

6. TO SERVE
Cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Carve chicken into four pieces, drizzle with remaining pepper oil and garnish with lemon wedges.

*Serve with a bold, spicy red wine, such as those coming from Portugal at the moment (watch this for ideas).
*For a quick side, place some fresh vegetables over the coal banks on each side of the grill during last 10 minutes of cooking.
*This recipe appeared in its entirety in the July/August 2003 issue of Cooks Illustrated


Photo credit: Machine is Organic on flickr

are you eating muesli, the ultimate summer breakfast?

My wife found a delicious recipe for meusli, a euro-type breakfast, in a cookbook you may not know about. Feeding the Whole Family: Cooking with Whole Foods, by Cynthia Lair, is a very accessible collection of recipes emphasizing simple meals with healthful, seasonal ingredients (parents may remember Cynthia as a food writer/editor for Mothering Magazine). Don't confuse muesli with Mueslix, the dorky brand of Kellogg's cereal from the 80s. Real muesli is a simple breakfast of rolled oats (or other grains) and any combination of nuts and dried/fresh fruit. It's basically granola that hasn't been toasted. There are two styles: dry and soaked. In the dry version, muesli is eaten as is, with milk or yogurt. In the soaked version, the muesli is first allowed to sit in hot water or juice for a few hours or even overnight. Both are delicious, but we were intrigued by the soaked version as it produces a filling breakfast that can stand in for oatmeal in the summer. Despite the use of boiling water in the recipe below, the texture of soaked muesli is not the same as oatmeal. Give it a try this summer. It will keep your mornings sane and your kitchen cool.

Orange Hazelnut Muesli

Prep time: 10 minutes (excluding overnight soaking)

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats or rolled barley (or some of both)
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• Optional toppings: sliced fruit, berries, raisins, plain yogurt w/ honey

Technique

Place oats, hazelnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and sea salt in mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over mixture and stir. Add orange juice to mixture and stir again. Cover bowl with plate or cloth and allow moisture to soften grains 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Top apple, pear, berries, and/or yogurt.

*Makes 4 servings

the humble frittata

Peasant cooking at it's best, many cookbook authors and magazine writers have touted the simplicity of this Italian staple. Nearly identical to the Spanish tortilla, the frittata is the ideal vehicle to dispose of leftover vegetables and other items languishing in your fridge. It is also an ideal summer meal, as it requires just a few minutes in the broiler and tastes great the following day, even served cool or at room temperature. Many variations exist, but core elements include sauteed vegetables, cheese and/or cream, and at least six eggs. The recipe below is a hybrid of several recipes that is easy to prepare and works well for me. I've listed some suggested ingredients but this dish is so flexible that I strongly encourage using nearly any ingredient that would taste good with eggs. Bacon is quite tasty, as well as leftover roast turkey or chicken.

Ingredients

• 6-8 eggs, depending on the size of your skillet and appetite
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered (or other vegetables)
  
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or thyme)
• 1 cup grated cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, or chevre work well)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper

Equipment

• large, well seasoned cast iron or stainless steel skillet (you could use nonstick but I don't recommend it because of new research regarding toxins) - make sure the skillet has a metal handle, as it will go in the broiler
  
• oven with a broiler
  

Technique

1. Preheat your broiler. Heat two tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is nearly smoking, add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté them until the mushrooms have released their juices and the liquid has evaporated from the pan (10-15 minutes).
   
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream/milk, and herbs. Beat vigorously with a whisk or fork for several minutes (this will make the frittata fluffy).
   
3. Lower the heat to low, stir in remaining olive oil, and pour the egg mixture in the skillet. Lightly stir eggs to incorporate sautéed vegetables.
4. Once the eggs at the bottom have started to firm up, add the cheese and fold it into the egg mixture that is still liquid.
5. Put the skillet in the broiler and cook for 3-6 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the eggs are no longer runny (but do not overcook).
   
6. Remove from broiler, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and slice into wedges.
   
7. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

*Serves 4 as a main event or 6 as a first course

the season's first burger: an essay

All of this blogging about other people's cheeseburgers left me feeling eager to grill some of my own. That, combined with a stretch of warm spring weather and the specific nature of my wife's pregnancy cravings, meant that the ceremonial first-burger-of-the-season would be grilled on Friday. Much to my dismay, what started as a fantasy week of balmy spring weather quickly turned cold, rainy, and straight-up medieval by Friday afternoon. I did not care. With a Summit Maibock in hand, I donned a raincoat and proceeded to load the chimney and brush the grate.

Americans love cheeseburgers. However, our sterile, Walmartian culture has completely fucked up this simple pleasure. In fact, you might say the standard American burger is FUBAR. We have ruined the hamburger patty. We have stripped the cheese of a soul. We have reduced the toppings to bland, watery, and/or chemical soaked afterthoughts. What remains is a previously sickly, previously frozen, previously in a CAFO sandwich-type-thing that is hardly fit for consumption by American pets. I mean that. I seriously mean that. And I'll stop my rant there. You read this blog because you already grind your own grass-fed beauties, right?

Time travel is possible. When you grind your own high quality, grass fed beef you will experience the delicacy enjoyed by many of our grandparents before the convenience age. When you choose to assemble a cheeseburger from the simplest, best ingredients that you can possibly find (within your local food economy), the utilitarian cheesburger is transformed into something truly sublime. Even the French have acknowledged the perfection of a grilled cheeseburger.

The only special equipment you need is a basic meat grinder - I use the Kitchen-Aid grinder attachment, but a manual countertop grinder also works well, and will earn you respect from your bad-ass grandfather.

Does your gray, industrial, frozen patty look like this? I think not. So buy some respectable beef and grind your own damn burgers. It will expand your mind.

Ingredients for a burger that transcends time, space, and industrial food culture:

• 2 lbs chuck roast, from grass fed cows raised by a small local producer (I really like Thousand Hills)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• kosher or sea salt, to taste

Technique:

1. Put your grinder components and two large mixing bowls in the freezer
   
2. Trim the beef to remove any tough connective tissue or large pieces of fat (but don't be too surgical or you'll risk grinding meat that's too lean - grass fed beef has very little fat to begin with)
3. Cut trimmed beef into one inch chunks
4. In one of the mixing bowls, combine meat with black pepper and salt
5. Grind meat mixture through the small die into the other chilled bowl
6. Pour Worcestshire sauce and olive oil into bowl, mix with a wooden spoon until liquids are incorporated (do not over-mix)
7. Chill the meat in your refrigerator for 15 minutes to keep the meat cold (this is critical) - this is a good time to light the grill
   
8. Using your hands, form the meat into 4 equal patties. Each should be about 1 inch think. Press your fingertips into the center of each patty to make them slightly concave (this helps them cook evenly and hold their shape)
   
9. Grill over very hot coals until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees (for medium rare). Too squeamish for medium rare? You're missing out. Buying good beef and grinding it yourself means you can eat a correctly grilled burger without fear.
   

*makes 4 celebration-sized grilled hamburger patties

P.S. Spring and Fall are fleeting portions of the grilling season because the mild outdoor temperatures permit the home chef to prepare some elements of the meal on the grill and some in the kitchen. This is especially important for homemade cheeseburgers and french fries. I do not own a deep fryer (sadly), but my wife and I have learned how to make addictive oven fries using a recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I'll feature our version of that recipe in an upcoming post.

the gamble: hang $25 of organic pork in your basement

As you might recall, I professed my love of charcuterie to the blogosphere back in June, with a post about making fresh bratwurst for my daughter's first birthday party. Since that first experiment with DIY sausage making, I knew it would simply be a matter of time before I ventured into the realm of dry-curing raw pork, traditional style. I don't have the space to go into great detail on the subject, but it's a fairly simple process with a few, very consequential, nuances. You grind some pork, mix it with some salt and others seasonings, stuff it in casings, and hang it somewhere for anywhere from a few days to six months or more. The nuances are few but critical: absolute cleanliness in all aspects of preparation, the pork has to remain cold during each step of assembly (to retain the right texture), and the dry-curing area must be 60 degrees F with about 60-70% humidity. If it works, a harmless white mold will grow on the exterior of the sausage, which prevents the growth of harmful microbes and contributes to the end result's distinctive flavor. Cool!

I embarked on my first dry-curing effort - a traditional French "saucisson sec" - over the holidays, when I had some extra time to prepare a decent curing area and procure the right ingredients. I've posted the recipe below. Anyone interested in at least learning about these ancient foods should buy one of my favorite books: Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. In addition to compiling an exhaustive collection of great recipes, they offer detailed descriptions of the required techniques, safety precautions, and equipment.

I took the above photo tonight, after hanging my saucissons to dry in an unfinished corner of my basement. I'm using a humidifier to keep the right amount of moisture in the air (Minnesota has very dry winters). Theoretically, they won't be ready to eat for at least 3 weeks, so I'll try to post an update and photo each week to track their progress.

ingredients:

• 4.5 lbs organic boneless pork shoulder, diced (only boutique hog will work here)
  
• 8 ounces pork belly or back fat, diced
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp curing salt (which contains sodium nitrite, to prevent botulism growth)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 12 feet hog casings or 3 feet of hog middles, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed
  

technique:

• Grind the pork and fat through the large die into a bowl set in ice.
• Combine the meat with the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are evenly combined, about 1 minute.
• Stuff the mixture into the casings and twist into 12-inch links. Prick the casings all over with a sterile pin or needle to remove any air pockets and facilitate drying.
• Hang the sausage (ideally at 60 degrees F with 60-70% humidity) until it feels completely stiff throughout and/or it has lost 30 percent of its weight, 18-20 days for links, a month or more for large sausages.
  

depression = polenta and fried eggs

If my last recipe wasn't thrifty enough for you, then hold on, because this is about as cheap as one can possibly eat. Everyone is saying that the economy will only get worse, so enjoy potato leek soup while you can - it may soon be a luxury.

Every so often, our family faces an empty refrigerator, and just when we're about to order pizza or consider going out, we go back to this recipe as an extremely simple, delicious meal from pantry staples. Polenta, or grits if you live below the Mason-Dixon, are a true blessing to the weeknight chef. Otherwise known as coarsely ground cornmeal, polenta is available at any grocery store, and many co-ops offer it in their bulk sections. It keeps in your pantry indefinitely, so it's an item every home chef should have on hand. Also, if you live in the Midwest, polenta is often ground from local corn - a good way to continue eating locally during the cold winter months.

Aside from olive oil and parmesan cheese, the only other ingredients you'll need are eggs. At around $3.00 per dozen, organic eggs are perhaps the cheapest source of animal protein available to the frugal locavore. You could save money buying conventional, manufactured eggs, but once you learn about the conditions in which those birds live, you'll be happy to shell out an extra dollar for some ethical, quality product. Besides, if you eat eggs as a way to cut down on the amount of meat you buy, spending a little extra should not be a big deal.

I saw this specific recipe in the NYT's Dining section, which is an excellent source for simple meal ideas (especially the Mark Bittman articles). Serve it with a salad or some sauteed greens for a complete, balanced meal.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium broth or water
• 1 1/2 cups polenta (not quick-cooking), coarse corn meal or corn grits
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
• 1 1-ounce chunk or 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 large eggs
• Coarse sea salt for garnish.

Technique:

1. In a large pot, bring broth or water to a simmer. Stir in the polenta and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened to taste, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in butter and pepper; cover pot to keep warm.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, slice cheese into slivers, or grate it on largest holes of a box grater.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until very hot. Fry 4 eggs until edges are crispy and yolks still runny. Repeat with remaining oil and eggs.
4. Pile polenta into 4 bowls and top with cheese and then fried eggs. Garnish with sea salt and more pepper and serve.

recession = potato leek soup

During a recession, many people look critically at their grocery bill as an opportunity to cut costs. This is a good idea, as long as you don't sacrifice healthy, seasonal, high-quality products for mass produced items at a lower cost. Rather than use the economy as an excuse to stop shopping at the co-op, perhaps you should rethink exactly what you're buying, and how you're preparing it. For example, you could eat less meat, or purchase seasonal produce that typically costs less than off-season delicacies (such as strawberries in January, which you shouldn't be buying in the first place). If you live in northern climes, your choices will be limited, but the payoff is huge, both economically and emotionally.

If a bull market is steak and lobster, then a bear market is potatoes and leeks, preferably in the form of soup. With a dollop of butter or sour cream, and some good bread, this soup is a filling winter meal that costs less than a six pack.

Millions of people have survived on the potato alone. If you have access to water and some onions or leeks, a whole world of flavor awaits. This recipe appears on the first page of Julia Child's epic "Mastering The Art of French Cooking," and with good reason. The simple combination of inexpensive, seasonal vegetables embodies the frugality of peasant cooking without sacrificing flavor. More importantly, excluding salt and water, this recipe only has two ingredients. It is the easiest soup recipe I've ever made. Anyone can and should make homemade soup. No excuses.

This recipe serves 6 people.

ingredients:

• 1 lb peeled potatoes, thinly sliced (any variety will do, but I like Yukon Golds)
• 1 lb thinly sliced leeks, or sweet onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 TB salt

optional:

• 3 TB butter
• 3 TB minced parsley or chives

technique:

1. bring water to boil in a large soup pot
2. add salt and vegetables, bring to boil
3. lower heat and simmer, partially, covered for 40-50 minutes
4. turn off heat, and using a potato masher or empty beer/wine bottle, puree the vegetables in the pot by pressing them against the bottom of the pot (this is much easier than it sounds)
5. if using butter and herbs, stir them in and serve immediately. a dollop of sour cream on top also works well.
   

recipe: roasted potatoes on the grill

In a rare moment of clairvoyance, I invented this recipe in an effort to enjoy roasted potatoes without turning on the oven. Root vegetables taste great (and are inexpensive) year around, but it can be a challenge to prepare them during the summer, as the kitchen can become a real sweat lodge. I've listed the ingredients and technique below, but you'll quickly realize that a cave person likely came to the same conclusion. This recipe begs for variation and experimentation. Go wild.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces (I used Yukon golds, but any variety should be fine)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed
• chopped leaves of one rosemary sprig
  
• olive oil
• black pepper
• kosher salt

Technique:

1. Light a chimney-load of briquettes. While the coals are heating up, locate a deep, heavy roasting pan (see picture) that can handle high heat.
2. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil - this will keep the potatoes from sticking
3. Combine all of the ingredients in the pan, drizzle with more oil, and toss to evenly distribute oil, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cover it with tin foil.
   
4. Once charcoal is ready, dump it onto one side of your grill - make sure it's relatively flat and not heaped in a pile.
5. Place the pan on the grill grate directly over the coals and cover grill. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. The goal of this step is to fry the potatoes, so you should hear a sizzling sound after a few minutes of cooking.
   
6. Check the potatoes by lifting the tin foil - if the bottom layer is browning, use a spatula to toss them. Replace foil and continue frying for 5-10 more minutes.
   
7. Have a drink.
   
8. Once you get a nice brown color on most of the potatoes, slide the pan to the cool side of the grill - cook, covered, for at least another 10-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and tender.
9. Have another drink, and enjoy your effortless grilling mastery.
   

There are several beautiful elements to this recipe, the main one being that you don't really have to pay close attention to it (as long as you know when they're browned and not burned). And you can leave the pan on the cool side of the grill for quite a while, which is especially helpful if you're going to use the hot coals for the rest of your meal, be it vegetables, hamburgers, sausages, etc.

recipe: classic german bratwurst

As promised, I'm posting an abbreviated version of the brats we grilled up for my daughter's b-day. I've pulled the ingredient list and steps from the book I mentioned previously, Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by Michael Ruhlmann & Brian Polcyn, which contains some additional tips and details.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt, diced (if you're in MN, buy from Prairie Pride or Farm on Wheels from the St. Paul Farmers' Market)
• 1 pound lean veal shoulder, diced (could also use venison or beef)
• 1 pound pork belly or back fat, diced
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground white pepper (or black, if you don't have white)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg (very important - check out Penzey's)
• 2 large cold eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup ice-cold heavy cream
• 10 feet hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed (I get my from Kramarzcuk's in Minneapolis).
  

Process:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the eggs and cream and toss well to distribute seasonings. Chill in a bowl until ready to grind.
2. Grind the mixture through the small die into a bowl set in ice (note: I use the Kitchen-Aid food grinder attachment, which is an excellent tool, but you could also use an old-school manual grinder).
3. Using the paddle attachment of a standing mixer (or a strong wooden spoon if mixing by hand), mix on low speed (or stir) for 1 minute. Add the eggs and cream, start the mixer on low, and then increase the speed to medium and mix until the cream and eggs are uniformly incorporated and the sausage appears sticky, about a minute longer. Saute a small portion of the sausage and taste; adjust the seasoning if necessary. (Refrigerate the sausage mixture while you do this.)
4. Stuff the sausage into the hog casings. Twist into 6-inch links. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to cook. (note: I use the Kitchen-Aid sausage stuffer attachment, which doesn't work very well).
   
5. Gently saute, roast, or grill the sausage to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Yes, do not overcook your sausage. You bought the best all-natural meat, correct?
   

Try it. You will never look at Johnsonville the same way, if you even choose to look at them.

recipe: steamed potatoes with butter and green onions

This is so easy it's a joke.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of baby potatoes (yukon gold or red)
• 4 green onions (or 3 spring onions), thinly sliced
  
• 4 tbsp quality butter
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash potatoes and, using a steamer insert or other contraption, steam them in a large pot for 8-10 minutes until tender (don't overcook, they should still be firm and the skins intact).

2. Drain potatoes and place in the now empty/dry pot. Slice them in half and toss with the butter to evenly coat each piece of potato. Mix in the green onions and salt/pepper. Serve hot, luke warm or room temperature.

*They reheat well, so feel free to make enough to have leftovers.

*No recipe source? Nope. This is a HOUSEKEPT original, sucka. Who cares if it only contains 3 ingredients? I don't. And you'll love us for it.

recipe: green salad with egg and bacon

We were starving upon returning home from the market, so I made one of my favorite salads with some the the items we purchased. Eating a "main course" salad is an excellent way to eat healthy and save money, and this one makes a great weekend lunch or a light dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 4 strips of bacon (or 4-6 oz slab bacon)
• lettuce
• parmesan cheese (or any other firm white cheese)
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
  
• dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  
• pepper

Directions:
Wash, trim and tear the lettuce into small pieces. Dice the bacon into small pieces and fry in a small nonstick frying pan until crisp - place bacon in a small bowl and wipe out pan.

While bacon is cooking, make the dressing:
Smash the garlic clove with your hand or a chef's knife and place in a small cup/bowl. Add one ounce of red wine vinegar and set aside for 15-30 minutes. Then add 1 teaspoon mustard and whisk vigorously. Then slowly drizzle olive oil into vinegar (while whisking quickly) until desired consistence/taste is achieved. Set aside.

Fry the eggs:
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Crack both eggs into the pan and fry until the whites are cooked, but the yolks are still runny. Remove pan from heat.

Assemble the salad:
Divide the greens evenly between two dinner plates. Drizzle some dressing on each salad and use two forks to toss (important). Top each plate with bacon pieces and one egg. Crack pepper and sprinkle salt over each salad. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a little bit of cheese over each plate. Eat.

*Makes 2 servings
*Serve with a glass of red wine and bread for a complete meal.

easy: homemade granola

As promised, here's an excellent granola recipe from Jonni McCoy's "Miserly Meals" cookbook (see books on right). We've tried several different recipes, including a fairly good one from Mark Bittman, but this version has the right amount of sweetness for us. It tastes very good with plain yogurt and will keep indefinitely if refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Once you try it you'll be appalled that grocery stores and co-op's charge so much for boxed or bulk granola....

Granola
5 C. rolled oats
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. concentrated apple juice
1/2 C. nonfat dry milk
1/3 C. honey
2 T. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. dried fruit
1 C. nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.)

Mix sugar, juice, dry milk and honey in saucepan and heat over medium heat only until sugar dissolves. Combine dry ingredients and fruit in mixing bowl. Pour sugar mixture slowly over dry mixture and blend well. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Options: Be creative by adding peanuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, peanut butter, or whatever else your family enjoys.

Cost analysis (1 pound): homemade = $1.00 Store-bought = $2.39 or more

p.s. Speaking of Mark Bittman, I saw this article yesterday on NYT online. I'll bet one could eat very well in Istria on $60 dollars per week. Too bad it costs more than sixty bucks to get there...