Building a Fort

There has been a lot of stuff going on in the world of Fred and me. We are great, don't you worry. But the world around us has been a bit, shall we say, dicey. We have both been moving very fast, doing a lot of things, a lot of busy. Yet we have been ships in the night, hardly had a moment to really spend quality time with one another. In our house, the books and magazines have been piling up to resemble colorful totem poles, the garden is more like a graveyard, and as of last Friday, you could hear an echo in our refrigerator.

And so we decided to STOP. We decided to spend our weekend together, focused on the things we love to do together and the things we love about each other. We decided we were going to shut off the world, and concentrate on what home means to us. We decided to have vacation. Go camping. At home.

On Friday, while Fred was at work, I took off and stocked up on all of the provisions. Groceries, firewood, dog bones, you know, the usual stuff. Once I got home and put all of the groceries away (one of my very favorite things to do), I did laundry, so all of our cozies were clean and warm, cleaned the house and set some of our favorite old movies to record (and a Lakers game for Sunday). I then called Fred and told him we were ready: the house was clean and sparkly, and the kitchen stocked. Let the staycation commence.

Once Fred got home, we both changed into our cozies, put on some Otis Redding and poked and prodded about our stocked-for-the-apocalypse kitchen for a guiding light. Parsnips, savory, carrots, burrata, walnuts, blood oranges, Littleneck clams, duck breasts, Anson Mills grits, rapini, hominy, salted capers, bacon, okra(!), leeks, pasilla pepper, Pacific cod, a whole chicken, potatoes, fresh cream, and more – I was paralyzed with options. So I turned to Fred and asked him to just pick a protein, and I would run with it from there. Clams.

I can do that.

While in Inverness recently, we stopped at a little spot on Tomales Bay and had a bowl of clam chowder. It inspired me, which is why I had purchased the clams in the first place. I liked this direction. And as Fred built a fire in the fireplace, my plan evolved even more. On that brisk, drizzly evening, while in our cozies, we decided to cook the soup on the open fire. We were camping, after all.

And so we brought all of our provisions, our mise en place, into the living room, dimmed the lights and lit candles. And as Otis crooned in our ears, and the fire warmed our faces, and the dogs curled up close to us with their bones, I got started steaming the clams while Fred chopped potatoes, celery, onions and garlic on the cutting board by the hearth.

Though, admittedly, it was a challenge for the OCD part of me to relinquish control of the mess that was inevitable for this indoor camping night to be successful, it was so, so beautiful. So warm and intimate, so still. As we slurped our steamy chowder and messily brought dunked, torn chunks of baguette, dripping with creamy stew and pieces of potato and clam up to our faces, we hardly said a word. Instead we stared around the room, at the pups, at the fire, at each other, and smiled and giggled.

When we were full of clam chowder and bread, we left everything as it was. As the fire continued to flicker, and the music played on, we stayed and languished on the floor and did the crossword until the light was completely gone, but our smiles remained.

Sometimes it's important to close the door to the rest of the world and take stock on what's really important; love, warmth, smiles, giggles, and home – wherever you make it.

Classic New England Clam Chowder

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

4 pounds cherrystone clams, scrubbed

1/2 cup vermouth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 celery stalk, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Chopped fresh chives

Oyster crackers or Fresh Baguette

Directions

Bring clams, vermouth and 2 cups water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Cook until clams just open, 8-10 minutes (discard any that do not open). Using a large slotted spoon, transfer clams to a large rimmed baking sheet; set broth aside. Let clams cool slightly, then pull meat from shells; discard shells.

Chop clams into bite-size pieces. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Add water if needed to measure 4 cups. 

DO AHEAD Clams and broth can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. 

Add reserved broth (or 6 cups bottled clam juice), potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring chowder base to a simmer; cook until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. 

Stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Stir slurry into chowder base; return to a boil to thicken. 

DO AHEAD Base can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Keep clams chilled. Bring base to a simmer before continuing.

Remove base from heat. Discard bay leaf. Stir in reserved clams and cream. Season with salt, if needed (clams' brininess varies), and pepper.

Divide chowder among bowls. Garnish with chives, and serve with bread or crackers.

Printable recipe.

One year ago: Byrd's Fresh Apple Cake

Two Years ago: Creamy Roasted Parsnip-Carrot Soup with Crispy Bacon & Potatoes

Three years ago: Rosemary-Citrus Polenta Cake with a Rosemary-Citrus Syrup

Pork Stew with Tarragon

I often buy pork shoulder to grill, in thin slices. However, that often leaves me with some leftover bits, that I can't slice thinly enough. I usually throw those in the freezer, and pull them out when I have enough to make a big pot of carnitas, or pulled pork, but for some reason I wanted to try something else. This is a quick and easy stew, and very tasty at that.

Pork Stew with Tarragon

serves 3
500 g pork, shoulder or tenderloin, in small dice
Pat of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp cognac
1 tsp soy sauce

1 veg stock cube
300 ml cream
1 tsp tarragon

Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne

Brown the pork in a little bit of butter. Add the onion, and let it soften for a few minutes. Add the tomato purée, the cognac and the soy sauce, and stir well. Next, the stock cube, the cream and the tarragon. Let it cook on low heat, simmering, for about 20 minutes, Season with salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne.

Serve with rice, and whatever vegetables you like. We had some green beans with a little lemon and butter, and microwave-cooked carrots, with more butter, less lemon and a pinch of salt. The carrots are sliced, then cooked for 7 minutes on high, in a tightly lidded container. (that's made for the microwave, obviously - mine is by Tupperware.)

Pork and Mushroom Stew

I'm in the best mood right now, wanna know why? Because as I sit here and type, two angels from heaven, I mean, maintenance men are fixing my oven!!! Sure, I have to sit and listen to a certain cheating wife, and a son that refuses to potty train, but hey, they could talk about world domination for all I care, at least I'll have an oven! Now my head is reeeeling with all of the delicious baked possibilities. No doubt I'll be leaving the grocery store today with a cart full of flour and sugar. It's a good day indeed!


Now onto something just as fantastic, this stew is another one of those dishes that goes straight into the top ten list of things I've ever made. When you think of a hearty stew with pork and mushrooms, the last adjective you'd probably think to describe it would be sexy, but let me tell you, this is one sexy stew! It's rich, earthy, full of soul and enticement. It's velvety on the tongue and will warm your whole body. Oh yes, this is a stew that will seduce you, and hopefully again and again.

Serve this over mashed potatoes, put on some Marvin Gaye, and thank me later.


Pork and Mushroom Stew
By Cuisine at Home October 2010

Ingredients

1 TB olive oil
1 TB unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
1/2 sliced leeks or shallots
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 TB all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 TB minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
diced Granny Smith Apple

Directions

1. Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high. Add pork and saute until brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove pork to a plate; set aside.

2. Sweat mushrooms, leeks and carrot in same pan over medium heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

3. Deglaze pan with sherry, scraping up any bits on bottom of pan, and reduce until evaporated. Stir in cider and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork with residual juices and 1 TB thyme. Simmer stew until thickened, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve over mashed potatoes, garnish with diced apples and a sprig of thyme.

MOROCCAN GOAT STEW

well, i'm so sorry that i was away for a while with my computer problems, but i was definitely still in the kitchen trying out new savory flavors and sweet treats...i have loads of goodies to post.

let me start with this MOROCCAN GOAT STEW
 as you might guess by now, i'm always on the lookout for things a little out of the ordinary.  i came across some goat at one of my favorite markets in Irvine, CA called Wholesome Foods.  if you're lucky enough to have one in your area you should check it out.  great stuff for Middle Eastern cooking.  their produce alone is worth the trip.
as i was poking around looking for something new, i saw some fresh goat shanks...not knowing what the heck to do with it, i bought it anyway...and sooooo glad i did.

GOAT IS GOOD !

i think it tastes like a cross between lamb and beef.  the texture and flavor was fabulous.  i had to add a little beef to my recipe because i didn't have quite enough of the goat the recipe called for.  i was  surprised to find that i really liked the goat much better.  this slow cooking stew was just the right way to introduce a new meat to the party. (the "party" usually consists of ME, MYSELF and I.)  i will definitely try it again.

now with goat in my fridge i went straight to google.

luck on my side, i found this fabulous recipe at Cehun Family Recipes... Recipe.Cehun.com.

with many thanks to the Cehun Family for bringing goat to my table i have copied the recipe for you below exactly.  i usually put in some notes, but this time i did exactly as the recipe was written...i suggest you do the same because it is absolutely fabulous...no changes necessary.  one thing i would like to add is that this would lend itself to any slow cooked stew meat...lamb would be wonderful...beef was great...maybe even pork.  the base of this recipe is so delicious it's worth a try with anything you choose.  i am aware that "GOAT" is not available at every supermarket.

MOROCCAN GOAT STEW

by Damian at Recipe.cehun.com

FOR THE GOAT
1 tbspn olive oil
750g goat shoulder, cut into 4-5cm cubes
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
30g dried apricots, roughly chopped
pinch of saffron
goat or lamb stock or water

FOR THE SPICE MIXTURE
1 tspn ground cumin
1 tspn ground coriander
1 tspn ground ginger
1.5 tspn smoked paprika
1 tspn turmeric
Half tspn ground chilli
Salt and freshly ground pepper

TO GARNISH
4 tbspn finely chopped coriander
Half-1 tspn of Harissa paste
zest and juice of half a lemon
1 tbspn honey

SERVE WITH
300gm pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 1-2cm cubes and roasted in olive oil with a little seasoning.

METHOD
Place the olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole pan and put it over a moderate-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion to the pan and sweat for one minute until transparent.

Place all the spice mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Toss the goat in the spices so that it is well coated.
Add the spiced goat and garlic to the pan and seal the goat on all sides so that it is browned.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cinnamon stick, apricots, saffron and enough stock to just cover the goat. Bring to the oil then reduce to a slow simmer. Leave the goat to cook for 1-1.5 hours or until the meat is tender, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon (add more stock or water if the liquid is below the goat). (You can do this on top of the stove or in the oven. If the stew is too watery, drain off the excess liquid into a saucepan and reduce until thickened. Then return to the stew.
Stir in 3 tblspns of the chopped coriander, harissa paste (more or less to taste), lemon zest, juice and honey.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin and scatter over remaining coriander

MEGA CHUNKY VEGGIE-C SOUP

A BOWL FULL OF COMFORT.

packed with vegetables, full of vitamin C and a cure-all for what ails ya.

Veggie-C soup has been my family's "go-to soup" for as long as i can remember. i'm pretty sure it evolved from Grandma Leda's Vegetable Oxtail Soup. when i was little i was a little wary of oxtails (love them now) so my mom would make her version sans the tails...you might also recall years ago there was one of those "fad diets" called The Cabbage Soup Diet. i think it might have started back in the late 70's, or that's when my mother got wind of it. she made a huge pot of this so called "diet"soup... and everyone loved it !...not to date myself or anything, but we've been making this darn soup, in this same house, for over 35 years...scary

soup is good food...plain and simple so i like to keep this one just that...plain and simple. i can eat this every night of the week and finish the pot by myself...how boring you might say. not so. one night it's with chicken. one night it's just a side. one day it's spiced up Mexican style and another it's with Parmesan and whole wheat pasta...add some barley and some beans and get a complete protein meal. what ever you add or change there really is no wrong way to make this recipe. it's just good clean eatin'.

start with a LARGE pot...(this always seems to grow)

stock...approx. 5-6 cups...you need some good stock. homemade, of course, is best. in this house we always have at least one kind of good stock in the freezer... chicken, turkey, lamb, smoked ham hock and/or beef. if you don't have a supply, i suggest you go out and get a nice roast chicken from Costco...enjoy that for dinner and make yourself some good rich stock from that ugly ol' carcass. if you don't have enough stock to cover the veg. my choice is the little jar of "Better Than Bouillon". add a Tbsp or so of this and the correct amount of water as you go along, adding in your veg... i promise you this soup will be bigger that you think...it grows.

chose your veggies ...this is what usually goes in...

try to keep everything the same size. LARGE chunks are more fun and satisfying. this is key to presenting a beautiful bowl.

3-4 carrots

4 stalks celery

1 large onion-diced large (2 small)

1 leek-halved,cleaned and sliced

1 shallot-sliced or diced

1/2 head cabbage

5-6 cloves garlic-sliced thin

roasted garlic cloves (i always have some on hand) diced or sliced

haricots verts (sm. green beans)...a handful

1/2 head of cauliflower pieces (flowerettes)

1 red. 1 yellow bell pepper-seeded and ribbed
2 poblano peppers-seeded and ribbed

1 large can whole plum tomatoes-cut into large chunks. i do not add the remaining juice.

1 rounded tsp oregano

1 rounded tsp tarragon

a handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves

1-2 bay leaves

a pinch, dash of toss of cayenne

1 tsp Mexican chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

directions: this is a bit elementary, because it's one of those recipes that builds as you chop and add.

saute the leek, shallot, garlic and 1 onion with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil.

add stock and start throwing in your vegetables. start with the veg that take longest to cook like the carrots, celery and remaining onion. from there just chop and add. the last to go in are the cauliflower pieces and the green beans. you'll soon see how this seems to grow much bigger than you thought. at this point you might need more stock. i like to use the "Better Than Bullion" mixed with a little warm water (using the ratio given on the jar) until the veg are just covered. let this simmer until everything is just fork tender. i prefer to keep mine a little under done so as not to overcook when reheating for the next meal. i'm not a big fan of mushy vegetables that are so common in most soups. serve as is or over pasta, rice, shredded chicken, beef, pork...last night it was BBQ chicken...tonight is sauteed shrimp...tomorrow might be spicy Italian turkey sausage with white beans....mmmmm.....delicious.

i'm smellin' summer is on the way. that means bikini weather...YIKES !...i will do everything in my power to keep it clean and healthy in preparation for the dreaded BIKINI try-ons. well....with the occasional well earned treat now and then, of course.