No Lunch Left Behind
THIS new era of government bailouts and widespread concern over wasteful spending offers an opportunity to take a hard look at the National School Lunch Program. Launched in 1946 as a public safety net, it has turned out to be a poor investment. It should be redesigned to make our children healthier.
Under the program, the United States Department of Agriculture gives public schools cash for every meal they serve — $2.57 for a free lunch, $2.17 for a reduced-price lunch and 24 cents for a paid lunch. In 2007, the program cost around $9 billion, a figure widely acknowledged as inadequate to cover food costs. But what most people don’t realize is that very little of this money even goes toward food. Schools have to use it to pay for everything from custodial services to heating in the cafeteria…
Braised Lamb Shanks, Winter Vegetables and Wild Rice
American lamb from nearby Lampasas County, Texas is rather meatier and milder in flavor than its New Zealand counterpart. Because it only traveled 60 miles to get here (vs the 7,000 or so miles from the south-western Pacific), it is also a whole lot fresher. Hours of braising render the shanks tender and succulent, with that familiar lip-smacking gelatinous goodness.
Season shanks with S&P and brown well on all sides in clarified butter or oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Deglaze the pan with wine (I used an inexpensive white) and loosen all the brown bits with the edge of a wooden spoon. Add seasonal vegetables such as celery, carrots, onions and turnips.
Crush tomatoes by hand and add to the pot with a tied bundle of fresh herbs. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and add enough stock (I used half beef and half chicken) to cover the shanks. Cover and place in a 375 degree oven until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours, adding uncooked wild rice at about the half way point.
To serve, toss the expended herb bundle and use a slotted spoon to place the rice and vegetables on a plate; place shank over the top and garnish with herbs and slivers of roasted paprika peppers.
No leftovers tonight!
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Shirred Eggs
Farm fresh eggs with bacon, yellow tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, fresh basil & oregano, skillet toasted oat bread, black truffle butter, three kinds of cheese, salt, pepper and paprika.
Grease the insides of the ramekins with truffle butter (or regular butter)
Sauté day old bread in butter, trim and press into the bottom of the ramekins. Top with a slice of cooked bacon cut in half.
Sear salted tomato slices to add a bit of caramelized flavor. Drain on paper towels then place on top of bacon & bread.
Lightly sauté peppers, onions and garlic. When cool, stir in cheeses and 1 egg. Pour this mixture over the tomatoes.
Add herbs then crack 2 eggs over the top and season with S&P and paprika.
Cook in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes plus 5 minutes with oven turned off. I like the whites firm and the yolks soft.
Sourdough English muffins with home made mascarpone and dulce de membrillo (quince paste) make a nice side.
Here’s a Southwestern recipe for shirred eggs
Écrevisses Filé Gumbo et Risotto au Citron
Crawfish filé gumbo with lemon risotto.
Hey, now. Pots on Fiyo (File Gumbo), Who I Got to Fall On If the Pot Get Heavy?
Crawfish tails sautéed in butter with celery, green onions, red bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic, moistened with brandy, thickened with sassafras and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cayenne, mace and thyme.
Served over a contrasting risotto with butter, sectioned lemons, salt, home made chicken stock, saffron threads and crème fraîche.
Garnished with chopped grapefruit and green onions. Pass the Louisiana hot sauce.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Spicy Pork Mole Poblano, Saffron Rice
Trim pork skirts, removing heavy fat and silver skin. Sauté in anatto oil with chili powder until browned on both sides. Set aside.
Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, scraping up all the brown bits. Whisk in 1/3 cup or so of your favorite mole (mine has raw cacao, cinnamon, dried chili peppers, pumpkin seeds, raisins, salt, garlic, oregano and coarse bread crumbs).
Thinly slice pork on a bias then add to the sauce with some chopped onions and cumin seed. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until very tender, about 1 hour, adding chicken stock as necessary to keep the sauce from getting too thick.
Meanwhile, boil rice in chicken stock colored with Mexican saffron. Add a finely chopped tomatillo about 5 minutes before the rice is done.
Add 1 chipotle en adobo, ancho and fresh jalapeno peppers and continue to simmer until vegetables are soft.
To serve, ladle pork mole over saffron rice and top with queso Oaxaca or other semi-soft cheese, fresh cilantro and saffron threads.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
What’s in the works this week
I’m continuing to make good progress in eliminating those expensive, processed things in the pantry and fridge in favor of those that I can make myself. I mean, who needs to spend $4 on a plastic squeeze bottle of organic ketchup that contains cane sugar? Give me a break.
Here’s what’s going on so far this week..
Coconut extract for baking, made from fresh, young coconut and triple-filtered vodka.
White and red wine vinegars,
Kimchi,
Sourdough starter,
Whey for use in fermenting stuff and the accompanying curds, destined to become paneer,
Nourishing bone stock from yesterday’s roast chicken,
Herbs drying,
Sauerkraut fermenting and
Rendered duck fat and ghee for cooking.
