Category: Food

Posted on

Seasoning Your Cast Iron Cookware

Cast Iron has been used for several centuries in providing meals to others.  Ideally, they were to be used and handed down to the offspring, who would hand it down to their offspring.  If “hand me down” cast iron is not available, finding used well-seasoned cast iron at garage sales and/or estate sales are the best way to go.  Cast Iron pots include fry pans, griddles, dutch ovens, cauldrons, sauce pots, and grills in all different sizes.  MRF090907013

Cast iron cookware, in my humble opinion, is great.  Once seasoned, cooks can use less oil and they are easy to clean and maintain.  Sometimes, it is difficult to buy used cast iron and it becomes necessary to buy new (pre-seasoned) cookware.  Pre-seasoned does not mean it is seasoned as it should be.  Things will still stick to the “pre-seasoned” new cookware.  Below are some steps I can offer on how to season your own cast iron cookware.  Remember: Pot lids need to be seasoned as well.

1.  If you have a fire pit or barbecue pit, that is ideal.  The heat is intense, but it will get the job done efficiently without smoking up your house.

A.  If you are a vegetarian or vegan, use olive oil.  This will take longer (about 10 times) as the fats will take longer to caramelize.

B.  If you eat meat, use lard.  Three seasonings should do the trick.

2.  Using the fire pit or barbecue, coat the interior and exterior of the pot with oil/lard and put onto the fire.  The oils may catch fire and this is expected.  After 10 minutes, turn the pot over so the inside may be done as well; after 10 minutes, pull off of the heat.

3.  Coat again and repeat (3 times for lard or 10 times for olive oil)

4.  Once cool after the final firing, wash with water and cloth only.  Do not scrub your pot and do not use soap.  After you use it for cooking, only light scrubbing with a cloth or natural fiber scrubber with water should be used.  You don’t want to remove the carbons that have been used to season  your pot.

normal__mg_5592If you are one of the unfortunate people who do not have access to fire and can only use a stove, I will warn you that this can be a smelling and messy project.

Preheat the oven for 450 degrees.  Once hot, coat your pot in the oil of your choice (olive oil or lard).  Keep in the oven for 45 minutes and pull out to re-coat the pot.  Repeat for steps 3 and 4, skipping steps 1 and 2.


Posted on

Stretching your Food Budget

In today’s economy, many are making cutbacks in all areas of the household budget.  Anything that can be eliminated is considered.For many, the days of eating out everyday are gone and are being replaced with brown bag lunches. People find an adoption attorney to help them transform from being a husband and wife to become parents . Just like that lot of families who were used to living in one lifestyle and suddenly, they need to change the way they live their lives. Consult with the premarital agreement law firm to make a perfect family planning that will be helpful to run your family according to your own terms.9017_150093804438_579144438_3443213_6130643_n

Often, the food that is cheap (and highly over-processed) is not good for you as it is often contains unhealthy fillers, high fructose corn syrups, nitrates, MSG, and/or other unhealthy ingredients which can increase behavioral issues with children and adults alike.

In an earlier blog (http://alicethecook.com/?p=128), I touted the benefits of buying  locally.  It is idea and helps the environment and the community, but can also hurt the pocketbook.  Below are some suggestions at buying good food, which can lead to healthy and tasty meals which help with the budget.

A couple of suggestions.  Consider finding a meat slicer (used or new), chest or upright freezer, food dehydrator, and a “food saver.”   Each of these items as well as some good food storage containers can help keep your food fresh for a longer time period. As suggested by the lawyers for DWI claims in NJ, buying in bulk and cutting the items down to family-friendly servings are ideal.

  • A 14 lb. shoulder beef roast at Sam’s Club can cost around $22-$25, but can be cut into 30-40 steaks or 5 smaller roasts.  Roasts can be sliced up for sandwich meat.
  • Buying a whole chicken and cutting it up is significantly cheaper than buying processed chicken.  Remember, some scraps can be used for other things. Chicken backs which are usually disposed of can be used to make broth or stock.
  • Check out the local ethnic food markets for fresh fish and rice at cheaper prices
  • Consider adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet.  It’s not only healthier, but easier on the budget that processed meat.
  • Left over vegetables that may not be enough for a serving, can be used with other vegetables and made into soup, stir fry, etc.
  • By drying fruits, you can have a healthy snack at less cost that can be kept for a longer time.
  • Review the packaging and read the ingredients.  Are you buying a name brand and/or a lot of chemicals?
  • Dried beans are better for you and less expensive than canned beans.  They do require some planning by soaking overnight (24 hours) prior to use, but the higher magnesium, protein, and fibers levels will be much more beneficial.
  • Pay attention to your local store’s coupons.  Two-for-ones are great for saving money especially on items that can be used to offset eating out prices.  Pick up things you go through quickly and that are versatile so you always have items for an easy meal:  rice, pasta, pasta sauce, etc…
  • Get creative with recipes.  Some times, when money is really tight, you can take an inventory of what you have and visit some websites that specialize in recipes with four or five ingredients.  I like http://busycooks.about.com/od/fouringredient/a/fouringredient.htm.  You can do a search based on some of the ingredients you have.
  • Selecting a day where lunches can be made in advance.  For example:  A family size lasagna can be cut up into 12 different servings
  • Be eco-friendly and buy a water container and avoid buying bottled water.  Water is good for you, but the disposable plastic bottles are not good for the environment.
  • Date the items you put into the freezer with a permanent marker on the packaging so you don’t lose it to freezer burn and your money won’t go to waste.

I hope you found these suggestions useful.  There are other locations and resources in other states that can help families that are really struggling to feed their families.  If you are one of these families or people, visit Second Harvest Heartland or your ear food shelf.

If you are one of the fortunate ones, consider donating to an area food shelf and help others who may be struggling.

brianne-fan-photo

Posted on

Chicken and Black Bean Stew

This past weekend, Nicholas and Raphael (two of my four assistants) and I were busily working and cooking.  We made some nice things such as beef stew, sweet & spicy squash soup, and chicken and black bean stew.

Many of those who ate wanted the recipe for their own use.  The trouble is, I made enough for 75 people and I need to break it down for a family.  Below is the recipe and I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1 chicken cut up
1 cup of chicken stock
3 TB olive oil
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed 3 times
1 lb of carrots, cubed
1/2 lb green beans, cleaned, stemmed, and cut into 1 inch length
2 lbs of red potatoes, cubed
1 small onion or 1 leek, rough chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of chili powder (I prefer chipotle or ancho powder)
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Remove the tips of the wings and debone the breasts and discard.   Bones should remain intact for the thighs, legs and remainder of the wings as the marrow will increase the flavor of the broth and they can be removed prior to serving.   Cut the chicken breasts up in 1 inch cubes.

In a large pot, begin heating the oil.  Once heated, add the chicken to brown slightly, stirring occasionally and add the leeks or onions and the garlic.  Continue to saute them for five minutes.  Add enough water to cover the chicken.  While continuing to stir, add the black beans and carrots.  Continue to stir and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes, stock, and the cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and black pepper.  stir once to blend and cover the pot to continue to cook (about 15 minutes).  Stir and check the tenderness of the potatoes.  At this point, add the green beans and salt to the mixture and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes.  Keep in mind, potatoes will often absorb the salt, so you should continue to taste the dish.

The  potatoes will thicken the dish turning it into a stew.  I really enjoyed serving this dish over rice.  Other items may be added to this recipe.  Stewed tomatoes may often be added giving this dish a “chili” like appearance.

Have fun trying this dish at home.  Don’t forget, copies of the cookbooks are available through various vendors and you can check them out Here.

Posted on

Ratatouille Recipe

This past weekend, Alice the Cook and her assistants were busily preparing food for the villiagers at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.  Keep in mind, each weekend during the run, I prepare enough food to feed 85-120 people each day.  It’s very hard work.

On Saturday, we prepared Kielbasa Stew and Ratatouille.  Since Ratatouille is not in either of my cookbooks, many of my fans asked me to post it so that they can recreate it at home.  I took the recipe and recalculated it for a more personal setting.

Ratatouille is a French peasant dish that has been around since the 11th century in one form or another.  Below is a more modern interpretation of the recipe.  I hope you like it.

Ingredients:
1 medium sized onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium or large eggplant, diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 medium zucchini diced into large chunks
2 medium yellow squash, diced into large chunks
add herbs as desired (try basil)
olive oil (enough to sauté onion/garlic)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender.  Add the eggplant and tomatoes and bring it to simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the zucchini and yellow squash and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and remove from the heat.   Stir in the herbs and let sit to cool a bit for 10 minutes before serving.  This will allow the herbs to add flavor to the dish.  For my recipe this past weekend, I added several button mushrooms that were diced for more flavor.

NOTE:  Avoid copper or steel pots when making this dish as the tomatoes will absorb the acids of the tomatoes.  I prefer using a well seasoned cast iron pot, but you may have other seasoned pots that you may use.

This recipe can be served over rice, pasta, or potatoes and can be served hot  or cold.  I hope you enjoy it.

Posted on

Ship Provisions during the early 17th century

A friend/colleague forwarded me some information regarding the typical provisions on ships (particularly the Dutch East India Company) during the early 17th century.  It was forwarded to me by MacGregor’s Historical Games.

Source:  It is taken from the Halve Maen (Half Moon) interpretive manual found at http://www.hrmm.org/halfmoon/manual.htm

I thought fan of food and historical research may appreciate this list.

1. Meat (Beef)
2. Bacon (Pork)
3. Wine
4. Brandy
5. Oil
6. Klein beer (i.e. small beer)
7. “Good” beer
8. Spanish Wine
9. French Wine
10. Vinegar
11. Water
12. Ham (for officers)
13. Smoked Beef (for officers)
14. Smoked tongue (for officers)
15. Biscuit
16. Groats
17. White peas
18. Gray peas
19. Beans
20. Butter
21. Stock-fish (usually dried cod)
22. Cream Cheese
23. Hard Cheese
24. Salted Pork
25. Salted Beef
26. Pickled Herring
27. Whale Blubber
28. Brandy
29. Salt
30. Mustard Seed

I find it interesting that brandy is listed twice on the list.