Monday, March 23, 2009

Sustenance Food Bubble and Squeak


Before I move I have to eat everything in the refrigerator and freezer. In my house, even when there is no food, there is a feast.

I shopped for a St. Patrick's day meal I never made. I didn't have time to corn the beef so I had brisket with mashed potatoes. What do you do when you are down to cabbage, carrot, onion and potato?

You bubble and squeak, that's what you do.

1 large onion chopped
4 tablespoons fat, lard, bacon fat, I used goose fat
2 1/2 c. cooked shredded cabbage (about 1 lb.)
2 c. shredded potatoes, drained, squeeze the water out.
2 links spicy Italian sausage (bacon, or leftovers of any type work equally well.
Salt
Pepper

First shred the cabbage and steam for about 20 minutes. You don't want waterlogged boiled cabbage. Then cook your sausage, remove and save the fat, I then added a bit of goose fat, but add what you like. Next cook your potatoes until they soften and begin to brown. When that happens throw in the onion and cabbage and let bits of it brown with the potato. Stir, flip and generally make a mess of it. I did it in a wok. Hit with salt and pepper to taste and then throw in your meat.

This is comfort food, I had a bunch of it for dinner and the next day heated the rest and threw a poached egg on top for breakfast.

It's filling and sustaining and nurturing, especially if your Mother was English. (Okay, my mother was German, but they eat a lot of potatoes and cabbage as well).

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Olive Salad Pesto

I was hungry for the flavors of olive salad which for some reason I can't find in New York. At Zabars you can get anything from anywhere in the world, except Olive Salad from Louisiana. When I had The Country Club in New Orleans and was wiped out from my day with no energy to cook I would pulse some olive salad in the food processor and stir into pasta. The earthy salty combo gave me the energy to go on.

I am in the process of moving right now. I am surrounded by boxes and mess. I hate mess. I have been running from dawn to dusk, in negotiations for one apartment while the phone rings with something else I HAVE to see, so I do. Last night the tired had really sunk in.

Did I have Olive Salad in the house...NO, because I live in New York. So I assembled the ingredients I needed to replicate the flavors and made a frigging wonderful pesto out of the stuff I just have around. It was good enough to share. It easily made 4 servings, two of which I consumed. This in a week where I have not yet been to the gym. Go to the gym, and enjoy.

1 cup green olives
1/4 cup garlic cloves (no, it's not too much)
2 anchovies
2 tablespoons capers
2 sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup of olive oil
Juice of one lemon
2 oz. creamy goat cheese

Pulse everything in the food processor until you get a chunky pesto. Toss with a pound of fresh hot pasta (spaghetti is nice) and serve 4 happy people.