Pantry: Winter

The Winter Pantry does a lot of heavy lifting. Most everything that was harvested over the previous year has been used up, and even the shelves for canned goods are probably starting to look a little bare. Dried foods like beans and lentils, and stored grains are going to be a key to the Winter Table. We also want to check on the levels of oils and nuts, as well as see how the stored fruits and vegetables are faring--it might be that the basket of apples needs to be processed before it turns, or that the long-storing winter Kennebecs need a bit more air.

Now is also the time to check on any of the foods that you put up or put by. Check to see if the seals are still in place, and make a note of how much and how many jars you have. If you were super industrious and put up green beans, corn, tomatoes, pumpkin, sauces, soups, and the like, this shelf can get you through the coming quarter-year; your table will have a splash of summer's light even in the short dark days.

But even if you have nothing canned and put by, you can still stock your pantry now with some amazing staples that will keep you hale and hearty until the crocuses bloom. Winter is a good time to check the levels of your bulk items and replenish as needed. Buy the amount that makes sense for you family, or split a builk order with others to help boost your purchasing dollar. Check around and see if there is a local cooperative or group that helps buy in bulk, or focuses on locally sourced staples.

Root vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, and carrots, can often be bought by the bushel (or half-bushel) from local farmers. See if there are any varieties that they purposefully grew for long storage. Even if you don't have super storage varieties, now is a great time to turn apples into apple butter and set up some scraps for apple cider vinegar, or to make a huge batch of apple pie filling and can it. Anything that you can put by now will be a delight in February and March.

Winter Pantry

• Olive oil
• Butter
• Nuts
• Grains
• Long Grain Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Oats
• Flour (or wheat berries, if you have a mill)
• Sugar (unprocessed sugar stores better than refined sugar, as well as being better for you)
• Carrots
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Apples
• Beans: 
• Black beans
• Navy Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Lentils
• Black Lentils
• French Lentils
• Red Lentils
• Split Peas: Yellow or Green, or both (I like both, as they are very different when they cook up)
• Coffee
• Tea

Chicken Pot Pie

Pot Pies are glorious and satisfying at any time of the year.

Whip up a batch when the harvest is fresh and the days are breezy and long, and enjoy with a glass of fresh milk or lemonade for a perfect summer dinner with family and friends.

But pot pies really shine in being able to make the most of meats and vegetables that have been in storage, less tender cuts of meat, and anything that might have been overlong in the freezer. 

Making a pot pie is really more of a process than a recipe, lending itself nicely to  using anything in the winter storage pantry. I've assembled a list below of various vegtables that take pot pies from good to excellent. The key is to work with what you have and to blend the flavors. If you've harvested the meat yourself, this is an excellent dish for the older, less-tender birds. 

Pot pie can make the most of carrots and potatoes, if that's all you have on hand, though I wouldn't want to try to make one without celery, and onion is the key to the broth flavor. Feel free to add turmeric if you'd like to help boost the cold-busting properties.

This recipe doubles and even quadruples well without adding much time to the overall process; make up a whole mess of pies at one time and freeze a few. They go from the freezer to the oven for heating up. 

Ingredients

Filling:

1 pound of chicken, shredded or cubed 

1 cup chopped carrots 

1 cups other vegetables, such as frozen peas.

½ cup sliced celery

⅓ cup butter

⅓ cup chopped onion

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon tarragon (or thyme, celery seed, or rosemary, as desired and as available)

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

⅔ cup milk 

 

Note: Cube the meat before cooking. This helps tenderize it and gives it a quick cooking time. If you're using leftover meat from a previous cooked bird, shredding the meat is fine.  

Crust:

2 crusts suitable for deep dish 9" pie plate. Make the crust from scratch  or use premade.

Equipment

• Braiser. I like to use a braiser for the filling, but you can use a heavy saucepan or whatever you have on hand that makes sense and has enough room to handle the amount you are cooking.
• 9-inch Pie plate: This is excellent for deep-dish pies, but shallow works just as well.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Place a crust into a 9" pie plate. 
3. Make the filling: Combine chicken, vegetables, and celery in a braiser; add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and drain. Place mix into the bottom pie shell.
4. Melt butter in the braiser over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and spices.
6. Slowly stir in broth and milk.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the vegetables in the pie shell.
8. Cover the pie with the second crust, sealing the edges, and cut away any excess dough. Make several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

| 30 minutes prep time | 45 minutes baking and cooling |

Great Vegetables for Pot Pie

• More celery
• More onion
• Mushrooms
• Zuchini
• Summer Squash
• Eggplant
• Corn
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Snap Peas
• Snow Peas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes

Solid additions to pot pies

These vegetables have a great body, but can change the overall flavor profile of the dish. Use them as you will.

• Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Lima Beans

Lentils & Potatoes

Lentils are a staple ingredient around the world. They store well and pack an amazing amount of nutrition. A pound costs less than $3 US; each cup of dried lentils is less than a dollar.

When combined with the humble potato, they provide a complete protein, meaning the dish contains the full spectrum of amino acids needed to build protein in the body. Lentils and potatoes combine to make an excellent nutrition boost especially for athletes, and teenagers, and bodybuilders. 

Packed with protein, they are also a fiber powerhouse. Each cup of cooked lentils has 16g of fiber, low calories, and zero cholesterol. If you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health metrics, lentils can be a superpower in your pantry.

You could live on lentils and potatoes, and the dish is simple enough that it provides a gorgeous base for any seasonal vegetables or meats that you might have on hand. Eaten just as they are, though, they are hearty and delicious, and a testament to simplicity.

The dish cooks up in one pot, and it scales from one serving to enough to feed an army. It’s done in 30 minutes, which is just about as fast as any food gets. Add anything with Vitamin C to help improve the absorption of the iron. My favorite is a squeeze of lemon over the unadorned dish, or you can add some tomatoes and collards to the recipe below.

I particularly like a dish of lentils and potatoes during December, when the daylight is short and the there’s an air of expectation along with the chill. Everyone is busy with holiday concerts and gatherings, and on those nights when you can catch an evening to yourself, it’s nice to make a batch of this and enjoy being this cozy, possibly with a book.

Make a larger batch than you’ll need, as the dish stores well and reheats nicely on the stove or in the microwave, and also can be used as the base of a casserole the next day. Make a half-batch for one serving.

Ingredients

1 c. French or green lentils, rinsed

2 potatoes, any variety, washed and cut into bite sized pieces with the skin on

3-4 cups water or broth (or water with bullion)

Herbs as desired. I like a bit of oregano and black pepper.

Lemon wedge, optional

Directions

Combine everything into a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl, or use a slotted spoon to drain off the broth.

Spritz the lemon wedge over the dish, if desired.

Spotlight: Lentils

They’re the world’s oldest cultivated legume, so it’s no surprise that lentils have become a staple across the globe – from India to the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.

They’re the world’s oldest cultivated legume, so it’s no surprise that lentils have become a staple across the globe – from India to the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.

Like beans, lentils add a great high-fiber and high-protein element to many meals. Because of their size, lentils cook much more quickly than dried beans and do not have to be soaked before cooking. They are extremely versatile and inexpensive, which makes them an accessible form of high-quality protein. Let’s take a closer look at this convenient staple.

Preparation, Cooking, and Storage

Lentils are sold in two forms: canned and dried. While canned are good for ready-to-eat uses such as a quick salad or side dish, the dried version works well for soups and stews, salads, and sides. A bag of dried lentils can really last forever, but they are best used within a year of purchase (or by the date printed on the package). Once the bag is opened, store any remaining lentils in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place.

One benefit of lentils is that they can be cooked in less than an hour. While it seems like an unnecessary step, don’t skip rinsing your lentils and sifting through them before cooking to remove any stones or debris. It is rare to find stones, but it does happen. When cooking, treat lentils more like pasta than rice – the lentils do not need to absorb every bit of cooking liquid the way rice does, but you also don’t need to completely flood the lentils like you would pasta. As a general rule, one cup of dried lentils yields two to two-and-a-half cups of cooked lentils.

Because of their rather delicate, earthy flavor, lentils work well in a variety of dishes and in almost any type of cuisine. The best time to add flavor to lentils is during the cooking process. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Adding half an onion (peeled), a few cloves of crushed garlic, a bundle of herbs, or a bay leaf to the cooking liquid and a pinch of salt gives lentils plenty of flavor, especially when they’re the base for a salad or side dish.

Nutritional Breakdown

Lentils are an easy, affordable ingredient to add to many meals, and they’re also extremely healthy. One cup of cooked lentils contains around 230 calories, 18 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 16 grams of fiber. When you add this legume to your diet, you can count on:

• Fiber Lentils are packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Foods high in soluble fiber can help stabilize blood sugar and help reduce blood cholesterol. This in turn reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Foods high in insoluble fiber are good for digestion and help prevent constipation and other digestive issues
• Protein Protein helps keep us full and gives our bodies the energy to power through the day. Protein accounts for 26 percent of the calories in lentils
• Energy Lentils offer a steady, slow-burning source of energy, thanks to the mix of fiber and complex carbohydrates
• Folate One cup of cooked lentils provides 90 percent of the daily recommended intake of folate. This B vitamin helps the body build new cells, an essential task that’s incredibly important for pregnant women, and has also been shown to help prevent some types of cancer
• Vitamins and Minerals Lentils are rich in a number of vitamins and minerals. The magnesium in lentils helps the body transport oxygen and nutrients more effectively by improving blood flow. And iron helps move oxygen throughout the body
• Heart Health The mix of fiber, folic acid, and potassium in lentils makes them a heart-healthy choice

Lentil varieties

There are four main categories of lentils: brown, green, red/yellow, and specialty.

Brown Lentils

Brown lentils are the most common variety – any bag in the grocery store that says “lentils” without any other descriptor is most likely full of brown lentils. This variety can range in color from khaki brown to dark black and has a mild, earthy flavor.

Good For:

This variety holds its shape well during cooking, making it ideal for use in warm salads, casseroles, soups, and stews. Brown lentils also work well in veggie burgers or vegetarian meatloaf.

To Cook:

In a medium pot, combine 1 cup dry brown lentils with 2½ to 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 35–45 minutes until tender. If they will be used in a soup or stew, add them to the pot with about 40 minutes cooking time left.

Green Lentils

Green lentils are extremely similar to brown lentils, but they have a more robust and slightly peppery flavor and come in a range of sizes. Green lentils can vary in color from a pale or spotted green to a green-slate color with hints of blue and black. Pro tip: Green lentils are a great (and less expensive) substitute for the famous French Puy lentils.

Good For:

Like brown lentils, green lentils retain their shape well. This, combined with their strong flavor, makes green lentils ideal for salads or side dishes.

To Cook:

Combine 1 cup lentils with 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer 35–45 minutes until tender. (Don’t forget to flavor the cooking water with some aromatics or herbs for a tastier end product.)

Red and Yellow Lentils

This variety of lentil ranges in color from golden yellow to orange and red. They are also the only variety sold “split,” meaning they processed into smaller lentil bits. These somewhat sweet and nutty lentils are very common in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine and are the key to classic dishes such as Indian dhal.

Good For:

Because of their “split” nature, this variety of lentil tends to disintegrate when cooked, making them ideal to use in soups or stews (especially as a thickener), and in casseroles or any other dish where they are pureed.

To Cook:

Split lentils cook quickly, usually in about 15–30 minutes.2425 When you’re using them in a soup or stew, just add them to the pot with 15–30 minutes left in the cooking time. When cooking them on their own, bring 1½ cups water and 1 cup dry lentils to a boil, then simmer until tender, 10–15 minutes.

Specialty Lentils

There are many varieties of specialty lentils, but two are most common: Black beluga and Puy. Both varieties are about one-third of the size of brown or green lentils and have a rich, earthy flavor.

Black Beluga Lentils:

When cooked, black beluga lentils are shiny, tiny, and black – they look kind of like caviar: hence their name.

Good For:

Thanks to their rich, earthy flavor, soft texture, and beautiful appearance, these lentils make a great base for salads or as a feature with any kind of protein.

To Cook:

Combine 2¼ cups water and 1 cup lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer 25–30 minutes or until tender.

Puy Lentils:

Puy lentils are grown in the volcanic soil of a specific region in central France called Le Puy. Puy lentils are known for their dark, bluish-slate-green color and rich, peppery flavor.

Good For:

These high-quality lentils should star as the center of a meal. They make a great base for meat or fish, or can be easily featured in a side dish or main dish salad.

To Cook:

Combine 2½ cups water with 1 cup lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer 20–30 minutes until tender.

Whether in a salad or soup or as the base of a main dish, lentils make a hearty and healthy addition to any meal. If using a recipe isn’t possible, it’s easy to whip up a tasty lentil-based dish without a lot of direction. Follow the guidelines regarding water to lentil ratio, and add plenty of flavorings to the water itself – an onion (quartered), a bay leaf, or a bundle of other herbs – to flavor the lentils as they cook. Serve with a pan of roasted vegetables and a piece of meat for an easy, complete meal. Lentils easily take the place of any hearty grain or legume in most recipes or cooking applications.

This food profile was written by Kate Morin, and originally published on Fix.com

Profile: Butternut Sqash

Butternut squash is everywhere in Autumn. Farmers Markets have it in a million different sizes, and market baskets are overflowing. It's a great keeper, and a perfect addition to your autumn table, packed with nutrition and easily digested. It makes a beautiful soup, if that's your thing, or can be eaten right out of the shell after roasting. Mashed, it's practically perfect as one of the first table foods to serve to babies and toddlers. 

My favorite way to cook it is in the slow cooker -- set it whole in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours, remove and cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Dress with a little butter and a dash of salt. As the weather turns chilly, you can set this up in the morning and it's ready to be a star with dinner when you walk in the door. Athletes and after-school club kids have been known to eat a whole one while waiting for the meal to be served, and you can't really go wrong with this as a snack, since it packs so many minerals and nutrients. 

If you want to cube the squash before roasting, it makes a lovely addition to a kale-based salad. Add some pomegranate arils for an extra boost to nutrition and autumnal goodness. This recipe calls for pecans, which are also just everywhere in the Southeast in autumn, but you could use any nut, really: walnut or pine nut or almond. Skip the nuts if they aren't your thing, or switch to a seed if you have a nut allergy. Pumpkin seeds carry the autumn theme, or sunflower seeds are always a nice choice; both roast well with the Kale salad with squash and pecans recipe below.

Ingredients

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch square pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon olive oil or pecan oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 heads kale

3 pieces thick-cut bacon, optional

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup pomegranate arils

Orange Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons olive oil or pecan oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Maple Toasted Pecans:

1/3 cup raw pecans

2 tsp olive oil or pecan oil

2 tsp pure maple syrup

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine chopped butternut squash, olive oil and sea salt. Stir until combined. Spread mixture on a large baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stir, then roast another 5 to 10 minutes, until golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

While the squash is roasting, add the bacon to a small skillet over medium high heat and cook until it reaches desired level of crisp (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). Place on a cutting board and allow to cool, then chop into pieces.

Add all of the ingredients for the orange vinaigrette to a small blender. Blend until completely combined (note: you can also whisk the ingredients together in a bowl if you don’t have a small blender).

In a small skillet, add all the ingredients for the maple-toasted pecans. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until toasted and sticky, stirring often. Be sure to monitor the nuts closely, as they burn easily.

Wash, dry, and chop the kale leaves and place them in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and use your hands to massage the juice into the kale leaves for 1 to 2 minutes, until you can feel the kale leaves are more tender.

Add the pomegranate arils, roasted butternut squash, chopped bacon, and maple-toasted pecans. Drizzle in desired amount of orange vinaigrette and toss everything together to combine. Serve alongside your favorite entrée.

Nutritional Information

One cup (205 grams) of cooked butternut squash provides a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and copper as well as:

Calories: 82

Carbs: 22 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Fiber: 7 grams

Vitamin A: 457% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)

Vitamin C: 52% of the RDI

Vitamin E: 13% of the RDI

Thiamine (B1): 10% of the RDI

Niacin (B3): 10% of the RDI

Pyridoxine (B6): 13% of the RDI

Folate (B9): 10% of the RDI

Magnesium: 15% of the RDI

Potassium: 17% of the RDI

Manganese: 18% of the RDI

Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Pecans

 

Ingredients

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch square pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon olive oil or pecan oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 heads kale

3 pieces thick-cut bacon, optional

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup pomegranate arils

Orange Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons olive oil or pecan oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Maple Toasted Pecans:

1/3 cup raw pecans

2 tsp olive oil or pecan oil

2 tsp pure maple syrup

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine chopped butternut squash, olive oil and sea salt. Stir until combined. Spread mixture on a large baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stir, then roast another 5 to 10 minutes, until golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

While the squash is roasting, add the bacon to a small skillet over medium high heat and cook until it reaches desired level of crisp (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). Place on a cutting board and allow to cool, then chop into pieces.

Add all of the ingredients for the orange vinaigrette to a small blender. Blend until completely combined (note: you can also whisk the ingredients together in a bowl if you don’t have a small blender).

In a small skillet, add all the ingredients for the maple-toasted pecans. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until toasted and sticky, stirring often. Be sure to monitor the nuts closely, as they burn easily.

Wash, dry, and chop the kale leaves and place them in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and use your hands to massage the juice into the kale leaves for 1 to 2 minutes, until you can feel the kale leaves are more tender.

Add the pomegranate arils, roasted butternut squash, chopped bacon, and maple-toasted pecans. Drizzle in desired amount of orange vinaigrette and toss everything together to combine. Serve alongside your favorite entrée.

Nutritional Information

One cup (205 grams) of cooked butternut squash provides a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and copper as well as:

Calories: 82

Carbs: 22 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Fiber: 7 grams

Vitamin A: 457% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)

Vitamin C: 52% of the RDI

Vitamin E: 13% of the RDI

Thiamine (B1): 10% of the RDI

Niacin (B3): 10% of the RDI

Pyridoxine (B6): 13% of the RDI

Folate (B9): 10% of the RDI

Magnesium: 15% of the RDI

Potassium: 17% of the RDI

Manganese: 18% of the RDI

Oats

Oats, a versatile and nutritious grain, have a rich history and offer numerous health benefits. Oats make fantastic meals and desserts, and they are gluten free, extending the grasses-and-grains goodness. They are easy to grow in a wide variety of soils, and take us back to humankind's first storage in silos, a practice that is widely credited with making civilization possible.

History

Oats have been cultivated for centuries, with evidence of their use dating back to ancient civilizations. Initially considered a weed, oats eventually gained recognition as a valuable food source. They were particularly important in regions with cooler climates, as oats are more tolerant of cold temperatures than other grains.

Health Benefits

Oats are renowned for their exceptional nutritional profile. They are a good source of complex carbohydrates, providing sustained energy. Oats are also rich in dietary fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which has been linked to various health benefits, including:

• Nutritious: Oats are a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins B1 and B5. Low in calories, it would take about 40 minutes to burn off the 150 calories from a half-cup dried oats prepared in water.

• Gluten-free: Oats are a gluten-free grain, making them a popular alternative for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. If you’re allergic to gluten, be sure to purchase certified gluten-free oats to avoid gluten contamination from other grains.

• Lowering cholesterol levels: Oats don’t have any cholesterol, and they help remove cholesterol that is there. Beta-glucan forms a gel-like substance in the digestive system, which can bind to cholesterol and reduce its absorption.

• Regulating blood sugar: The soluble fiber in oats helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream.

• Promoting digestive health: The fiber content of oats supports regular bowel movements and can help prevent constipation.

• Supporting heart health: Oats' cholesterol-lowering and blood sugar-regulating effects contribute to overall cardiovascular well-being.

Frugal

One pound of rolled oats is 5 (US) cups, or ten batches of ½ cup dry

I usually buy my oats whole in bulk (hulled, but not yet rolled) and then roll them just before using. They cost about $1.40/pound. I usually calculate oats at $1.50 a pound for easier math, making each half-cup batch cost fifteen cents. Crazy-cheap for a bowl that will sustain you all day and help repair the damage you did the day before.

Note: Amazon has an 8 pound package of classic Quaker Oats for $8.15, and this seems like an insanely good deal. 

Preparation

Oats are incredibly versatile and can be prepared in various ways. My favorite way is to take freshly rolled old-fashioned oats and stir in a little cinnamon (and brown sugar, if you like). Heat milk (2:1 milk:oats, or you can use water) in a pan with a little vanilla. Just as the milk begins to boil, stir in the oats and spices. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking, until oats are the desired consistency. 

• Oatmeal: The most common way to enjoy oats is by making oatmeal. Simply cook oats with water or milk until they reach a desired consistency.

• Overnight oats: For a convenient and no-cook option, soak oats in liquid overnight. They will absorb the liquid and become soft and creamy. A traveler’s delight: a half-cup cup of oats can be put in a wide-mouth container with one cup of fresh water (a splash of lemon juice is also very nice with this) and be ready to eat 12 hours later. Longer soaking isn’t a problem. ½ dry oats+1 c. liquid=2 cups oatmeal.

• Baking: Oats can be used in a variety of baked goods, such as cookies, muffins, and bread.

• Granola: Oats are a key ingredient in granola, a popular breakfast and snack food.

• Oat flour: Oats can be ground into flour and used as a gluten-free alternative in baking.

No matter how you choose to prepare them, oats are a delicious and nutritious addition to your table.

Nutritional Information

One cup of cooked old fashioned oats:

Calories 150

Calories from Fat 27

Total Fat 3g

Saturated Fat 0.5g

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 0mg

Potassium 150mg

Total Carbohydrates 27g

Dietary Fiber 4g

Sugars 1g

Protein 5g

 

Election Day: Senate Bean Soup

The first time I had—or even heard of—Senate Bean soup was at McGuire’s Pub in Pensacola, Florida in 1991. Senate Bean Soup was on the menu for an astonishingly low price, the same price that the Senate cafeteria charged the Senators. They had the story and the recipe, and of course I ordered it. It was so good, it became an instant-classic, go-to comfort food. 

Yes, it simmers for three hours, but you won’t be disappointed. Serve it on Election Day, setting it up after you get home from voting in the morning, or set it up in a crock pot if you’ll be out canvassing all day; 6 hours on high or 8-12 hours on low. It’s a perfect foil to early-November chill, and it makes for excellent fare to serve during a results watch party.

This recipe serves four heartily, but you could easily scale it up to feed the election-day volunteers on the block, or an entire army of suffragettes. Top with shredded sharp cheddar, if you’d like, and garnish with slices of green onion tops or sprigs of fresh thyme. My favorite way to serve it is just as written, with freshly cracked black pepper on top.

Ingredients
1 pound dry navy beans
3/4 pound smoked ham hock
2 quarts chicken broth, vegetable broth, or cold water (the original recipe is simply water)

Note: Some chefs add1/2 teaspoon baking soda to help the beans soften. I find it’s not needed, and it’s not in the original, but it won’t hurt anything if you do this.

1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter (minimum; I measure butter with my heart)
fresh black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Rinse the navy beans and pick over. 

Dice the onion and set in the soup pot with the butter. Heat on medium or medium-high until translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Pour the beans into pot over the onions. Bury the ham hock in the center of the beans. Pour two quarts broth or cold water and the baking soda, if using.
Bring just to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately three hours stirring occasionally, until the beans have fully softened.
Remove the ham hock and set it aside on a dish to cool. 
Pull meat from the ham hock into bite-sized pieces and return the meat to soup. Stir. Discard the picked-over ham bone.
Before serving, bring the soup to a boil and season. Taste before adding salt, as I often find that the ham imparts enough flavor that I don’t really want any seasoning except fresh black pepper on top of each bowl. Serve on its own or with a nice green salad to complement the richness of the soup.

Notes
This Senate Bean Soup recipe is based on the original served in the US Senate cafeteria.

These days, the Senate Dining Room still has Senate Bean Soup on the menu, but the prices have gone up: $3.45, $4.00, or $4.50 for one cup, a cup-and-a-half, or two cups, respectively. This recipe makes 8-12 cups of soup, and the most expensive part is the ham hock. The whole batch costs about $6.00 to make. [Math: $1.50 for beans; $3.50 for ham hock; $0.50 butter; $0.50 onion] You can spend more, and I usually do, getting the meatiest hock I can find, and using broth instead of water. Even at double the cost, it’s still a beacon of frugality. 

My tally from the most recent batch: $12 total, for 12 cups $6.50 ham hock; $1.50 navy beans; $4 organic chicken broth. 

This soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days, and freezes well. 

If you have access to a microwave at your office, a frozen serving in a leak-proof container (with some headspace) makes a nice “ice pack” in your lunch kit, and it will thaw by lunchtime. If you work at home, this can be frozen in single-serving containers and set on the counter for lunch that day. Warming in a saucepan is my favorite, but of course the microwave is fine too.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is conic for a reason.

When autumn calls, there is nothing like a pot of hearty chicken noodle soup, and a bowl of this seems to be able to banish colds as they start. I especially like to serve some up during the first week of school as a tonic to all the new-people germs, even though school starts before Labor Day more often than not these days.

I’ve included some notes at the bottom for make-ahead options for the ingredients, which cuts the overall cooking time down considerably.

Ingredients 

Base

1 c. chopped celery

1 c diced onion (about one medium or half a large)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons oregano

1/2 cup red lentils

Soup

4 c broth plus 2 c water (broth can be made with bullion, or you can just use water for the whole thing)

2-3 carrots, diced

2-3 new potatoes, chopped

Cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (can be simmered covered in water for an hour in advance and then drained and stored in the fridge)

1 c or so hearty egg noodles

Chopped parsley, optional

Directions

1. If you haven’t cooked the chicken yet, set it in a pan so that the breasts are single layer and covered in water. Bring to a simmer slowly and cook for about an hour.
2. Coat the bottom of your soup pan with olive oil and set the pan over medium heat. Add the base ingredients to the oil and cover. Let cook until the onions are transparent, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. 
3. While the base is simmering, chop the carrots and potatoes. Add to the pan and adjust the seasoning as desired. Pour in 4 c broth (or water) and stir to combine. Let simmer to combine the flavors, at least 20 minutes. It’s fine to let this simmer until the chicken breasts are done cooking.
4. Chop the cooked chicken into cubes (or shred it) and add to the pot, stirring to combine. Add the remaining water and bring to a low boil. 
5. Add the noodles and stir. Let boil for about ten minutes to cook the noodles, then reduce heat (or turn the heat off). 
6. Stir in the parsley, if you haven’t already. Let stand a bit to marry.
7. Serve with fresh crusty bread and a glass of milk.

Equipment

I make this in a 4.5 quart enameled cast iron soup pan, but any heavy stock pot or Dutch oven will do.

Wooden Spoon

Good chef’s knife for chopping

Simple Beef Stew

This small-batch stew recipe makes the most of a few ingredients, and comes together quickly. It’s written for four servings, but it can easily be doubled or even tripled (just remember to size up your Dutch oven accordingly). Leftovers marry up nicely in fridge overnight, and this can be made ahead to have on hand for a simple and satisfying meal. Serve with crusty bread and fresh milk.

Ingredients

1 pound stew meat (or a roast cut in cubes), or coarsely ground beef

6 oz can tomato paste

3 cups beef broth (from bullion or what have you)

2 medium potatoes, any variety, cubed

2 carrots, cut into inch-sized pieces

1 cup diced cabbage (I like red, but any will do)

1/2 onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic, diced

A few sprig fresh thyme

Salt & pepper

Directions

Coat the bottom of a 4 quart Dutch oven with olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add the beef, onion, and garlic and simmer covered until onions are translucent. Add everything else and stir to combine. Lower heat and cover. Simmer for 60-90 minutes, checking as needed to stir and prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Simple Classic Chicken salad

Nothing says summer quite so much as a heaping scoop of fresh chicken salad on a bed of lettuce or fresh spinach. Packed with whatever goodness you want to include and plenty of protein, this is sure to delight even on the hottest of days. It’s all the better for chilling overnight, so please do yourself a favor and make it in advance. It’s a brilliant dish to help keep things simple when the mercury rises.

Paleo, Whole30, and primal diets are supported by choosing an avocado mayonnaise and trading the mustard for a dash of red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice.

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

4 cups chicken broth, plus water as needed

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup or more chopped scallions, green parts and white parts

1/4 c finely diced red onion

1 cup shredded carrots

1.5 cups mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

A few sprigs fresh tarragon, optional, but you'll be glad you added them

Freshly cracked black pepper. 

Directions

Set the chicken breasts in a pan so that they are single layer and don’t touch.

Cover with the chicken broth. Add water if necessary to bring the water above the chicken.

Cover the pan and set on medium high. You want the chicken to come to a simmer slowly. Once it simmers, turn the heat down just a smidge and continue to simmer for at least an hour, until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Lift the chicken out and let set into a large mixing bowl to cool. (If you need to delay, just move the pan off the burner and let the breasts cool in the liquid.)

Shred the cooled chicken using two forks.

Add the chopped vegetables and tarragon.

Mix the mayonnaise and mustard together in a small bowl. Stir in the pepper.

Fold the mayo mix into the chicken and vegetables. Stir until coated and evenly distributed.

Cover the mixing bowl with a lid or beeswax cloth or Saran Wrap.

Set in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.

Variations

You can do so many different things to make this to your liking.

Avocados help reduce the mayonnaise needed and really bump up the healthy fats and nutrients while keeping everything rich tasting. It’s also a perfect way to use those avocados that have to be eaten right now. 

Grapes! Apples! Dried Cranberries! Whatever fruit your heart is craving or that you have on hand will blend in nicely and give the salad an air of sophistication.

Nuts. Traditionally, pecans are used, but you could use chopped almonds (my favorite) or walnuts. Pine nuts are exceedingly good in this.

Fresh herbs, especially parsley. Chopped parsley is a nice balancer. Lemon juice and basil combine well, too.I’d avoid anything overly aromatic and savory (such as oregano or sage), but thyme or chives are a nice addition.

Other Vegetables. Whatever is in season and on hand can be chopped and added. Sugar snap peas or snow peas are a lovely addition and have plenty of great nutrition. If you want cucumber, be mindful of how watery it can get.