Spanish Rice with Chorizo

As the chilly days of Winter have finally settled in, it is time to dig into the pantry in earnest, to enjoy finally and without guilt all that has been stored from last year’s harvest.

One of my favorite foods to warm up with on a cold day is chorizo.  This spicy, Spanish-style sausage can be made with pork or beef, and enjoyed fresh or smoked.  This sausage can be quite hot, and smoking seems to tone down the fiery hue just a hair.  Distinctly “taco” in flavor,  chorizo is the perfect way to add bright heat to a dish.  This sausage is usually presented in rope form, and thus can be grilled whole for a super-hot sandwich, or sliced and added to a casserole dish or soup/gumbo.  Sliced and cooked, the heat (which is trapped in the fat) can escape into the broth or sauce to deliver a slightly milder flavor.  Another great way to prepare it is to slice open and crumble the meat and serve with beans and greens or my favorite, Spanish Rice.

Spanish rice is a great dish to make when you want to dig into the Winter’s store.  The ingredients for this meal are ones that are common to find in the home preserver’s pantry.  Canned tomato sauce, onions, and garlic from the root cellar, sweet peppers and chorizo from the freezer and dried herbs are all fairly easy to put up and can all be used here.  If you don’t have any one of the items use what you have and supplement the rest from the shops.

Check at your farmer’s market or local foods store to find these items that perhaps someone else has put up!  Even in the height of the cold season, you are still likely to find for sale local onions and garlic, meats and probably even dried herbs.  Here in the Binghamton, NY area, is an awesome little local foods shoppe called Old Barn Hollow Market on the South Side.  It’s really exciting that I can get frozen tomato sauce and sweet peppers from our local area farms there!  (Visit http://www.oldbarnhollow.com for location and hours)

All items for sale at Old Barn Hollow Market are from local farms.

Spanish Rice is a dish that can be as simple or as complicated as you like.  I don’t use a recipe, but have included one here to get acquainted with.  You can cook the ingredients ahead and then finish them in the oven, or throw everything into the casserole dish and bake.

I made my version by starting with a large casserole dish.  In it I drizzle:

~2 Tbs olive or other oil

Next I added:

1 1/2 cups diced sweet green or red pepper

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 Tbs garlic powder

For this recipe, I want my chorizo broken up, so I removed the casing from the ropes.  Now I can break it up and scatter it with the peppers and onions.  (If I were cooking the dish, I would brown the chorizo to a crumble in a pan.)

Sausage casings can be split and the meat pulled out and used for other dishes!

Next I added to the casserole:

2 cups uncooked rice of choice

2 cups tomato sauce or puree

2 cups water or stock of choice

~1/2 tsp salt, dash pepper

Cover the casserole with a lid or foil and bake at 375 *F for about 1 hour.

To cook the ingredients ahead, you would saute the peppers, onions and garlic and chorizo in olive oil until veggies are soft and the chorizo is “browned” (more red, really).  Then add the rice and liquids and cover, simmering for about 15mins, stirring a couple times and careful not to burn.  Then turn everything into a casserole dish and bake covered at 350*F for 30mins.

Serve hot topped with shredded cheese, chopped chives or green onions and sour cream.

Spanish Rice is but one dish to make with Chorizo, but it’s a great one to get to know this zesty and interesting ingredient.  Give it a try, then see what else you’re inspired to make.

Planning Ahead to go Local for the New Year

As we make our New Year’s Resolutions, one good one to keep in kind is that of producing or keeping more of your own food.  Now is the perfect time to plan for the coming growing season.  While it would be great  to provide all our own food for the year, taking on this entire task alone is unrealistic.  Many a well-meaning family has tried, only to become overwhelmed and give up.   In today’s world, it is very unlikely that one would be able to provide  all your own food, but one can certainly provide a number of key items for your family, and put a bit of a dent in your grocery bill.  The secret is using baby steps. Master one project at a time, try adding something new after your first successes.

Winter is traditionally a time of planning and dreaming about the summer garden.  Seed catalogues have arrived, and the chilly days and slower pace are perfect for sitting and musing about warmer days to come.  But it is also the time when your family is eating the foods that you’re going to want to put up for yourself.  Now is the time to pay attention and take note of what you are eating and buying at the grocery or market.  Local, seasonal eating takes practice, and working with what you are already doing is going to make the transition much easier.  Keep lists or a notebook if you need to, or keep  you grocery receipts.  See what veggies you are buying, which canned goods, which meats you eat the most often.  These are the foods to concentrate on when planning to provide your own.

And be honest with yourself:  One of the first canning projects many people undertake is cucumber pickles or relish.  Yummy as this is, it’s not really going to mean much to your family if they really don’t eat them anyway.  Find yourself eating more salsa instead? Marinara sauce?  Go for these items when canning instead.  Certainly, eating local and seasonal means learning how to eat what’s available and keep it interesting, but again, successes with your staple items will inspire you and your family to expand your palate and diet.

 How do you use fruit?  Do you  enjoy bread and jam, or chunky fruit with your oatmeal or yogurt?  Do you want whole strawberries for your Christmas cheesecake? Or do you enjoy strawberry sauce over ice cream?  Or both?  Keep these things in mind when planning how you can best prepare these items when preserving for yourself.

When your’e shopping at the store, stop and notice all the different ways foods are presented for you  to buy:  You’ll find items fresh, frozen, canned, dried.  How do you use these foods?

Once you’ve figured out which foods you use the most and want to try to provide for yourself or preserve for winter use, it’s time to come up with a realistic plan.  Again, using baby steps, figure out which foods you want to grow, which you should start buying in bulk to save money, and which you should purchase in bulk locally and put up for the winter.

Break it up into two groups:  What you can grow, what you can buy in bulk to can or freeze  to put up yourself.

Consider what you have available in terms of space to grow, freezer and pantry space.  If you have adequate space to grow some food, you can put some energy into that.  If you have freezer and pantry space, consider focusing on preserving foods you use often, and look for ways to save money by using your freezer.

Keep in mind that freezers are vulnerable to power outages, though these usually occur during winter months when the cold weather gives you an advantage.

Try to keep your freezer is in a cooler space (ours are outside our home.  My second choice for placement within the house is my pantry, which is off my unheated porch just a hair warmer than outside).  They come in many shapes and sizes, and often can be found rather in expensive in the classifieds.

If you don’t have an extra freezer, plan to dehydrate or can your foods.  Canning really is optimal, because the foods are safe from power outages.  You will of course still need storage space, for the jars both full and empty, but we Americans are accustomed to accumulation, and this for once is for a very useful cause.  If you don’t have a collection of  jars, put the word out with your friends that you are looking, and keep an eye on the classifieds, often people will sell their entire collections at once.  Canning kettles are fairly inexpensive, and a good one will last you for years.  And they come in different sizes, depending on how much space you have on your stove top.

A small dehydrator will not cost you    much and can really help with saving    summer bounty.  Kids love dried apples and peaches, and many other fruits and veggies dry well to be used later on.  And you can save  a ton of money drying your own herbs.  Fo’ schizzle.

Think about this for your meats, too.  Often you can get a discount if you buy in bulk.  Sometimes you need to find the right supplier, not all smaller operations can afford a substantial discount.  Or you may be able to buy whole or half animals, this is usually cheaper than the retail prices even with discount.

A family of six can easily take down at least two pigs a year, and it is so awfully handy to have it all in the freezer, rather than running to the store every week!  Buying a whole pig twice a year is a real money-saver.  Look into doing this with whatever meats your family enjoys.

Buying fruits like apples, peaches, pears and plums and canning or freezing for the winter is great for both better product and saving money. These can be used all year for so many things, and again so handy to have your own stash.

Berries freeze well alone or can be made into jam.  Jam can be used for cooking in a variety of ways, it’s becoming a real staple condiment in a true Foodista’s kitchen (sorry, Guys!  If you’re going to do it, you’re still a Foodista.  There is no ‘Foodistus’).

Think  pragmatically when planning what to grow.  Balance how much you consume with how much you can effectively grow.  Tomatoes are great, but they can be a lot of work and take up space, and if you need to can 50-100 jars, trying to grow that many if you have limited space may be impractical.  Buy those in bulk at market instead.  Grow for yourself instead things like salad greens and herbs, which can be pricey at market but fairly easy to grow.

When growing lettuces, ask around and make sure you get good varieties that do not bolt or get bitter easily.  Do not plant Black-Seeded Simpson.  Keep replanting every two weeks starting in early spring until it starts getting hot in June. Plant herbs in spring and keep cutting and drying your leaves so they keep growing back all summer. Bring them indoors if you want in the Fall.

Other items to grow that use less space and yield well are summer squashes, green beans, beets chard, collard and other greens, and scallions.  Onions can work out well, too, if you have the time (or a good trick) to keep them weeded.  Again, it all depends on how much room and fertility you have.  But in general, plan to buy-in and put up other veggies like sweet corn, winter squashes, melons, cukes, peppers, eggplants, etc. These items take more attention and space to grow, and might not be the best choice for beginners who are also trying to put up their own food.

Some of your pantry staples can be gotten in bulk, as well.  Check around and see if your community has a co-operative buying club or similar venture.  Flour, sugar, pasta, dried beans, rice, etc. are also handy to have in storage.  But do take caution, and keep your pantry items well-sealed against grain moths and moisture, both of which will ruin your foods.  Again, planning is important when taking on the responsibility of storing your own food, and it must be kept healthy and safe.

Do take this seriously:  It will do you no good to go through all the trouble of collecting  food all summer if it is tainted in storage.  This means diligence.

Make sure your freezers are running properly.  And plugged in.  Make sure your children do not leave the doors open.

Your pantry must be cool, dark and dry, but shouldn’t freeze.  Dehydrated items must stay dry until use.  Canning jar lids should always be double-checked for a tight seal before opening to use, and get in the habit of sniffing each and every jar before you serve.  But these things re just that– habits.  You’ll get used to doing these things, and they will become second-nature. Every little bit takes you one step closer to food independence.

That’s enough for now. Next few posts we’ll talk about different ways you can procure your own food in different living situations.  Whether you live in an apartment in town, in a house in suburbia or out in the sticks, there are different things you can do to get more of your own food locally and in season.  So stay tuned and start planning!

New TV Show Local Flavor

I am excited to be working on a new TV show, Local Flavor.  This half-hour weekly program will show viewers how to find foods grown local to them when fresh in season, and great ways to save them for later when they’re not.  Each week I will take viewers to a different farm or producer and find an item in season for that time of year.  Then we will go back to the kitchen and show folks how to cook and preserve that week’s item.

The idea for the show arose from my past 15 years experience selling at farmers’ markets, interacting with people from all walks of life, all with one thing in common:  Finding clean, fresh, healthy foods for their families, and an appreciation for the better quality of foods grow right nearby. But changes within our culture and homes over the past 40 years have left a number of young homemakers these days lacking in some basic cooking and efficient and creative food preparation skills.  My show will teach these cooking skills, demonstrating fun and easy ways to bring delicious meals to their tables, with local foods or any foods, wherever one lives.

             

Eating foods local to your region means eating seasonally, and to keep an interesting and diverse diet year-round, you want preserve your favorite items when they’re fresh and abundant.  Canning, drying and freezing foods was at once a dying art, but thanks to this renewed interest in seasonal eating, people across the country are reviving age-old methods of preserving food.  My show will add to this resurgence by demonstrating different methods of “putting food by”.

Over the past 15 years, I have also enjoyed a number media appearances: my local newspaper, TV news, even radio and a TV commercial.  I seem to attract the camera, while other people flee from it.  So why not make a TV show?

See me in action in this You tube video;

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GRxN_sDAog

Copy and paste this link to your browser to hear a recording of my WSKG Public Radio segment http://www.wskg.org/episode/local-food-system-farmers-and-farmers-markets

We have begun production on the first episode, set to launch in February.  Like our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/localflavorshow
or follow us on Twitter @Localflavorshow to keep up with our progress and catch announcements of where and when to watch.

We will have a viewer question segment on each show, so submit your queries about local, seasonal cooking and preserving.  And stay tuned!

The Mystery of Mustard Greens

Thanks to our high tunnel, Mustard Greens are already in season at Sunny Hill Farm.  These hardy, spicy greens have a long season, as they grow in both chilly weather and heat, and they are relatively free from pests and diseases.  They are very easy to grow.  Many people seem unsure, however, about how to eat them.

(We are referring to the greens here.  The condiment “prepared mustard” is made with ground-up seeds from the mustard plant.)

Giant Red Mustard

Mustard greens have a unique spicy, radish-y flavor that diminishes only slightly when cooked.  They come in a few different varieties of shape and color.  We like to grow two types, the broad-leaved ‘Giant Red’ type, and the feathery ‘Ruby Streaks’ variety.  Giant Red is excellent both raw and for cooking, while the fronds of Ruby Streaks add heft and texture to your raw dishes.

Ruby Streaks

Mustard Greens can be enjoyed raw in salads, or sauteed, braised or boiled to cook.

To prepare them, remove the stems and layer whole in your pan or chop.

They can be sauteed in some olive or other oil, salt, garlic, onion, whatever you like for flavor.

To braise: Bring 4 cups water or stock, and 1 tsp salt to boil in a med pan or skillet with lid. Add about 1 lb mustard leaves, turning with tongs until they wilt down enough to fit in the pan.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy,  about 10 mins.  Drain and serve with butter, vinegar, whatever you like.

For an extra-yummy treat, fry about 6 slices of bacon in the pan before adding the greens and cook down and directed.

Mustard Greens with Chickpeas and Curry (from The Joy Of Cooking, 1997 ed.)

In a large skillet, heat:

2 Tbs melted butter, ghee or veg oil

Add:

2 med onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Cook, stirring over med heat until onions are softened, about 5 mins.

Stir in:

1 lg bunch (about 12 oz) prepared greens

Cook until wilted, about 15 mins.  Stir in:

1 Tbs mild curry powder

1/2 tsp both ground ginger and ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1/4 cup chicken or veggie stock, or water

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer  and add:

1lb cooked chick peas

14 oz diced tomatoes with juice

1/2 tsp salt

Cook, stirring often, til greens are tender, about 15 mins.

Serve as a side dish, or over rice for dinner for two.

Mustard greens are super healthy.  They are quite high in vitamin A and have a good dose of C as well. And all greens are a terrific source of iron and calcium.

Add some color, zip and a nutritional boost to your meals by adding in some Mustard Greens.  When you fall in love with them, you’ll find them an easy addition to your garden as well!

Chive Alive!

One of the first plants to come up in the Spring is the humble little Chive.   That tasty grass-looking herb with the mild onion flavor.

This member of the Allium genus is easy to grow and is often the first success of a fledgling perennial herb garden.  It grows in a clump of tiny bulbits, which start out as white at the soil line but quickly turn green as you travel up the stem.  The bulbits send out fresh growth early each Spring, with beautiful onion-scented purple flowers soon after.  These flowers attract many pollinators, and they will soon turn pale and papery, full of angular black seeds which are easily collected or shaken out to resow.  It is easy to reproduce chives by dividing the bulbits as well, so if you have a friend growing them, they will likely be happy to share some.

This herb is well-known for its mild onion flavor that is most commonly seen with sour cream atop a baked potato.  But the Chive’s delicious flavor can add real pick-me-up to a variety of dishes, salads, and even condiments.  Chop or snip raw chives on to dishes for a fresh onion pop of flavor, or add to blended salad dressings, dips, hummus, anywhere you like a little zip.  The beautiful purple blooms are edible, too, and their unique oniony flavor makes a beautiful addition to salads, quiches, and salsas.

Chives are plentiful in the Spring, and will continue to grow after the blooms fade in May, but the growth the rest of summer is not as vigorous.  Cutting the plants back to about an inch high after the flowers drop can help.  Chives are very easy to dehydrate to use later; they can be cut long and hung to dry or placed in a dehydrator, they left whole or chopped.  They can also be cut to size of choice and frozen with water in ice cube trays.  Pop the cubes out when done and store in a zip-lock freezer bag.

Chives have a cousin called Garlic Chives.  They are very similar in flavor and habit, except the leaves on Garlic Chives are a bit flat, and the flowers are white instead, and the blooms a bit more spread out on the stem.  They appear almost like the shower of fireworks.  And yes, the flavor is a bit more toward garlic.

If you already have Chives, they are likely growing and close to blooming by now.  If not, now is the time to find some and put some in your herb garden.  They also grow well in a pot on your windowsill.  Either way, chives are a great herb for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, easy to grow and so many ways to use.  A great way to sneak a little “fresh vegetable” into your everyday dishes.

The High Tunnel Waketh

High Tunnel on March 17, 2012

The lengthening days have finally awoken the spinach, arugula, lettuces and mustard greens growing in the hoophouse.  Their colors have deepened, their leaf growth rapidly gaining size and yummy crisp flavor.  We have been enjoying these delicacies with our dinners, and our customers have enjoyed finding an unexpected treat for sale at market.

Incorporating these early greens is a great way to spruce up the end of Winter seasonal diet, when starches, pickles and dehydrated herbs make up the bulk of what’s left in the pantry and root cellar. Crisp, fresh greens are a welcome change, and are packed full of nutrients your body needs to begin flushing out the Winter’s accumulation of toxins from your system.  Eating them raw is especially good.

These greens pair well with things you might have left from your Winter store.  Add apples, raisins, nuts, and other dried fruits to a fresh lettuce salad.

Ruby Streaks and Giant Red Mustard

 Mustard greens have a spicy radish-like flavor that goes really well with smoked meat.  Bacon ends, ham hocks, even fatty trimmings from a ham cam be lightly braised (cooked in about 2 inches of water at med-low heat for about 10 mins) with a bunch of roughly-chopped mustard greens.  Serve with butter, salt and pepper, and vinegar if you like as a side to a nice ham, pork roast or deep-fried turkey.

Arugula has a pleasant nutty-peppery flavor.  It is terrific as a salad alone or as an accent to a rich main dish.  Arugula is classically-prepared by washing the greens and tossing to coat with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  This is an elegant, nutritious salad by itself, or makes a lovely bed for steamed vegetables, poached fish, curry, anything.  Or roughly chop the arugula and spread atop potatoes  the serve with steak or roast beast.  Arugula also makes a fine pesto, and is great on top of pizza.

Arugula

The spinach is enjoyed raw or lightly steamed and makes an excellent side dish.

Spinach

 

Traditional Spinach Salad is made from:

fresh raw spinach

slivered red onion

hard boiled eggs

mushrooms

generous pieces of bacon

To make a hot bacon dressing:  Save the melted fat from cooking the bacon.  While still warm, stir in 2 Tbs brown sugar, 2 Tbs mustard. and 2 Tbs vinegar of choice.

Serve Spinach Salad with Hot bacon Dressing.  Top with salt and pepper.

 

 

Greens are an excellent source of iron and an even better source of calcium than milk!  I remember enjoying them as a child, lightly wilted with a splash of vinegar, salt, pepper, and a generous pat of butter.  Or lighten up by tossing with garlic and olive oil instead.  Greens can be added to scrambled eggs, quiche, soups, stews, stir-frys, and pasta dishes.

The forecast is wonderful to keep the greens growing, and we look forward to delighting or customers at out next market with their choice to add to their own menus.

This St. Patrick’s Day, I got my green on!

 

Even Farm Animals Like Recycling!

Springtime has come early to Sunny Hill Farm in the high tunnel.  When the weather is sunny, the tunnel is usually 10-15 degrees warmer than outside, especially when it’s windy.  The green things have already begun growing for the season and the smell is wonderfully warm and verdant.  My daughter likes to go in there and take off her shoes, enjoying the feel of grass between her toes a few weeks early.

Spinach, arugula and mustard in the tunnel first week of March, 2012

Spinach, arugula, mustard and lettuces are waking up and growing again from last Fall’s sowing.  Other green things are growing in there, too:  clover, purslane and especially chickweed.  These weeds need to be removed before we plant the space anew for the Summer season.  I know that many of the plants we consider “weeds” are actually perfectly edible, nutritious, and quite yummy.  Back in the past, many of these cold-hardy greens were a welcome addition to the diet in the earliest days of Spring, when folks were living off their winter store of starchy roots and rich meats and were ready for a fresh change.  Chickweed, in particular, is especially sweet and nutritious, and it grows abundantly in a low spreading carpet.

Chickweed entangled with lettuces.

Even though discarded weeds are composted to return their nutrients to the soil, I still look for ways to capture even more of the nutrition and resources available on-farm, to minimize our off-farm inputs, reduce costs, and keep our ecosystem as healthy and diverse as possible.  One way we do this is to harvest plants such as grasses and weeds to feed to our animals, especially those who cannot always be out on pasture.  Feeding the animals grasses and weeds is closer to their natural diet than grain, and provides the myriad of vitamins and minerals often needed to be supplemented else-wise.

So my daughter and I have been going out to the high tunnel daily and harvesting this abundant chickweed to feed to our pigs and poultry.  I was unable to find definitive evidence that it was suitable daily for our other animals, so I only feed it to them, not the sheep, cows or horse.  Many of these weeds are good for one species of animal but not others, so always do your homework and check first, being sure you have a positive identification.  In order to keep the horse from getting jealous, we also grab a few handfuls of clover to give to her, too.

This time together is very enjoyable for my Gwee and me, and we are doing two jobs at once, weeding in preparation for this coming season, and giving our animals a little nutrition boost.  Fun, easy, and cost-effective recycling!

Why I Need Winter

Pigs nestled in their bed of hay

It finally looks like Winter out.  On March 1st.  Better late than never!

There has been much lively discussion on the Media and in Real Life about the weather this Winter, or lack thereof.  Winter sports enthusiasts have been quite disappointed, folks with an eye on their heating bills have not.  Mud season has been in a sort of suspended animation, and the kids have learned that near-frozen mud can be just as slick as ice.  It has been a Winter unlike any I can remember.

The farmer in me wants to be alarmed, for Winter not found within its normal confines means it’s on the loose and can be found lurking about at any time, hindering growing plans.  But the impartial observer in me says all the seasons fluctuate in duration and intensity, why not Winter for once?  It’s natural for all elements of our environment to vary.

So why am I missing those blustery, frozen days?  The Internal Clock, I suppose.  My body, brain and being are all used to taking a break during those dark, cold months.  My metabolism is used to a respite.  My landscape is used to a respite.  My summer wardrobe is used to a respite. The load of paperwork in my office is used to me taking a respite from the field to catch up on it.

My kids are used to a season of confinement and constraint, of focus on school studies and building up dreams of what to do with next Summer’s freedom.  They are used to those sledding forays from which they invariably return frozen, no matter how much clothing and accessories I pile on.  There has been markedly less hot cocoa this season.

This is where we live.  In the Northeast.  Where there’s Winters.  And snow.  And cold.  We need these things to better appreciate the sun, heat and activity of Summer.  Our bodies are accustomed to  the down-time, and just like the plants and flowers who subsist on photosynthesis, we find that it is not only the light, but the periods of dark that are necessary for proper metabolism.

It is in the Darkness we find beauty in the Light.  It is in the darkest of Winter when we learn the true meaning of Faith, to hold fast to the knowledge that no matter how cold and dark, Spring must surely come.

We will again by Summer’s end take the warmth and light for granted, and be ready for another break in the hard work of farming.  We wonder then how we will ever go through a growing season again, the hours so long and the list of jobs endless.  We will be ready once more for a purging of cold, of stillness, of waiting. It is in this crucial time we are recharged, and motivated anew to take on another season of the triumph and tragedy that is farming.

I would not have it any other way.

I Say, What IS London Broil?

A “London Broil” is a cut of beef that seems to have fallen out of fashion a bit, relegated to the back of the meat display, one of those cuts your grandmother perhaps used to make.

London Broil is one of those unique cuts of beef that is named after it’s cooking method, rather than it’s cut or location on the beef steer. The origins of the dish are unclear, but most definitely from North America.  It is virtually unknown in London, England. It is a thick cut steak, usually 2-inches thick, from a muscle that is not the most tender, but very lean, and boneless.  If not cooked properly, it could be very tough and unpalatable.

But the London Broil is usually a hefty piece of meat, easily satisfying a family of six, again quite lean, and economically priced, so it is well-worth learning how to cook it for your family or a dinner party.

Pick one up at your local farmers market, or at your favorite shop.  They are sometimes also labeled top round, or a flank steak will appreciate the same treatment.  Just look for a big, round steak that is at least 2-inches thick, and almost free of fat.

You can cook this gorgeous piece of meat as is, or you can marinate it for 24hrs with your favorite flavors.

This cut of meat is best cooked by Broiling, which means to cook with high heat above the food, rather than below.  When you set your oven to Broil, the top element will heat up, rather than the bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

To cook food using this method, place the item on a pan.  This is the ideal place for a Broiler Pan, which is a sheet with holes or openings to allow the fat to drip away as the meat cooks, with another pan underneath it to catch these juices.  If you don’t have a broiler pan, a sturdy cooling rack atop a cooking sheet will work.

Place your oven rack to its highest position.  Set your oven to “Broil”. Give it time to preheat, same as when you’re baking.  Arrange your food on the pan, then slide it in, close under the flames.  Broiled foods are cooked quickly, often no more than five minutes per side.  Generally, the food is cooked on one side, then pulled out and flipped over to brown and sear the other side.  Usually it is not cooked as long once flipped.  The result is a unique and luscious crispy, popping, delicious crusting effect that works well for meat, fish, even vegetables.  And it is the crowning finishing touch on a Texas Oatmeal Sheet Cake, melting the signature brown sugar/butter caramel-like icing.

To cook your London Broil this way, start with a steak that is totally thawed.  Season simply with salt and pepper or get as ornate with the spices as you wish.  Be sure to season both sides, and it’s okay to season a bit heavily, as the cut is thick and you’ll want to encourage the flavors to penetrate all the way through the meat.  Arrange your cut on the broiler pan and place under your preheated broiler.  Cook for 5 mins, then flip over carefully and cook another 5 mins.  Bring your Londn Broil out, wrap it with foil and let it rest.

 

Meats continue to cook after removed from heat, and the temperature can continue to rise as much as another 10 degrees.  Keep this in mind when figuring doneness.  London Broils should never be cooked more then medium-rare (130-135 degrees F), or they will become dry and tough.  After cooking, meats should be left to rest a few minutes.  Inside, all the juices have been forced from the meat due to higher pressures while cooking.  If you cut the meat immediately after cooking, all those yummy juices run out along your cutting board away from your meat.  Letting the meat rest for at least 10 mins allows those flavorful juices to re-enter the meat, so you get to enjoy it when you eat it.

A London Broil can also be cooked on the grill, same effect just upside-sown.  Preheat the grill, cook the steak 5 mins a side, and bring it out and cover to rest 10 mins or more.

A London Broil is best served sliced fairly thin against the grain of the meat.  Carve the entire cut this way for a party, or serve each plate a few slices for family dinner.

Next time you’re looking for a new idea for dinner, try this old favorite.  Again, it is economically priced, easy to make and truly delicious.  Left-overs can be enjoyed as sandwiches or sliced into strips and enjoyed in a cold salad, with noodles and broth, or even as a  stir-fry.  It’s sure to become a family favorite. Indeed.

Artisans are Crafting Cultural Identity

Artisanal And Authentic, The Flavors Of The New Year

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/144442022/artisanal-and-authentic-the-flavors-of-the-new-year

This NPR story highlights the upsurge in popularity of locally made and crafted items, foods and other items such as fiber and baked-goods that are procured and created fresh from local farms.

We have seen this rise in popularity here in our own community, with groups such as the Southern Tier Farm Artisans, a group formed of local artisans and crafts people exhibiting their products and demonstrating their tools and techniques at local events.  These events are well-attended by the public, with many interested patrons eager to learn about crafts that are fast disappearing from our society.

The term “Artisan” has an interesting connotation.  To me it calls to mind uniquely hand-crafted items, the very opposite if the mass-produced, look-alike items one finds at the shopping mall.  Artisan items are not one-size-fits-all.  They are not all exactly the same size, shape and hue.  They are not predictable.  They come from time-tested methods of production, family secrets passed down for generations, some closely guarded.  They are made from what’s available in the landscape of their particular area, what is at hand at the time, from what this particular season will offer.  Artisans items tell a story, have a history behind them, and carry the Energy of the person or people who worked so hard to bring them to fruition.

In the past, the many towns, villages, and regions peppering the countryside used to take great pride in being different from one another.  Many of the cheeses of Europe were named after the town from which they came, and the authenticity was a cherished part of their culture.  Stilton, Cheddar, and Emmenthal were well-known, along with a multitude of lesser-know but much-loved varieties each as unique a town’s own zip code.  Friendly rivalries between regions were part of yearly celebrations.  Quality wines also shared this distinction, each named after the region of their birth, and appellation is strictly controlled.  The same goes for honey, maple syrup, and seasonal jams.  Each jar tells the story of the landscape from which they were produced.

The outside observer might find the multitude of choices overwhelming, not quite the “Big Three” we’re used to today.  But one key reason for this variety is the very basic fact that each treasured creation is not meant to be liked by everybody.   They are not exactly what everybody likes. Particularity is welcome.  You can pick your favorite.  Or your favorite today.  We have become accustomed to our choices being significantly narrowed by what the mainstream market wants to sell us, and along with this, we are whitewashed as a culture to the point where we are all supposed to like (or be seen consuming) all the same things.  The Joneses set the tone, we are all supposed to “keep up”.  What used to be a glorious rainbow of individual tastes and preferences had been blended and re-blended until we are left with the very predictable shade of purple-puce that results from mixing all your paint colors. This rekindled interest in the unique and discernible is a backlash against all this muddling.

So keep in mind when you visit the farmers market or your local bakery or micro-brewery that what they are going to offer you will not  be what you’re used to.  That’s why you are there.  Artisan bread is very far from Wonder bread.  Or even the “Artisan” breads offered at your local grocery.  A good micro-brewed Stout will not taste like Beck’s Dark.  A good artisan-crafted jar of fruit jam is nothing  like Smucker’s.  They will be singularly sensual experiences, taking us back to the true roots and meaning of the foods we have carried with us through all these generations.  You may even encounter something that does not suit your taste.  But your neighbor will like it, you can agree to disagree and that is OK.  And together you keep your favorite crafters in business.

It is this uniqueness of our particular landscape that sets us apart from the next region and what gives us our own cultural identification.  America’s mass-market culture is trying to put all the same stores and plazas in every corner of the globe, so that to a stranger driving from one community to the next, the towns all look the same from the Interstate.  Only by identifying and supporting our region’s natural gifts will we solidify our own cultural individuality.  And our signature “flavor” is what visitors will experience and come to expect when visiting from other regions.

So make a point in this your New Year to find your own favorite Artisan producers in your area. Get off the beaten-path a little to find those unique little shops where they are still doing it “the old-fashioned way” and not only turning out some great product but also preserving a piece of the past.  And be prepared:  You may encounter something that you do not like.  You may, in fact, find something you absolutely love!