Green Chili

As the weather turns colder and my garden goes into full winter mode, I harvest the last of my green tomatoes and chilies. I decided to make a green pepper and green tomato chili with the remains of the summer.
1 medium yellow onion
4 small carrots
9 medium green chilies. These are not spicy
5 garlic cloves
3 small potatoes cubed
1 can of navy beans or white beans
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Mexican oregeno
2 teaspoons sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic and onion powder
1/2 pound of ground beef or pork, chicken turkey
a little papricka or chili powder is a good warming spice too if you want it spicy. Or serve some spicy pico on the side with jalepenos!This is great so the kids can have it mild and the adults hotter!
as many green tomatoes as you can fit it the pot or have on hand. If not used tomatoes in a jar. fill with liquid either stock or water up to almost the top.
cook down on medium for about an hour or two.
top with pico ge gallo, I used green and pink tomatoes with garlic lime juice salt and cilantro from the garden(the last of the fresh tomatoes!)
top with sour cream and cilantro leaves and sharp cheddar cheese.
I also made a hearty cornbread with mexican sugar and butter to add a beautiful sweetness. Corn bread recipe to fallow.

If you want to make this more exotic you could add a small cinnamon stick and some nutmeg or allspice. You can add some rehydrated dried chilies like Pasilla or Ancho etc.

Thai yum salad

This salad is great in summer and easy to prepare.

Dressing is made pounded in mortar or use a stainless bowl or food processor
dried shrimp(if you have some don't worry if not)
one to two garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon palm sugar or mexican piloncillo or plain sugar or honey
1 whole lime juiced(zest the skin into the dressing for even better flavor)
1 tablespoon fish sauce,if you don't have or are veggie use soy or tamari.
some chili is nice also but if making for kids or breast feeding omit

Cut tomato into eighths through the stem end
slice or chunk cucumber
lettuce(ANY)
cabbage
carrots
onions (any)
herbs like cilantro,mint,basil etc Whats growing in your garden?
sprouts?
nuts?
toss in dressing and serve soon after doesnt hold well. YUM!

vegan ceaser dressing or nutty dressing

awesome vegan dressing

* 1/4 cup raw cashews
* 1/8 cup raw pine nuts
* 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil or another healthy oil
* 2 medium clove of garlic
* 1 tsp raw mild miso or 1 tsp bragg amino
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp kelp granules
* 1/2 tsp raw agave nectar
* 1/4 cup water, reserved to help adjust thickness of dressing
* freshly ground pepper to taste
blend in blender or food proc and adjust seasoning thickness etc
great with grilled romaine leaves

KRAUT easy and healthy already packed in jars!

KRAUT

1 head of cabbage(green or purple)about 2 pounds
1 Tablespoon of natural salt(kosher sea or pickling salt ok)
1 capsule of probiotics
2 teaspoons kelp granules(optional)
4 cloves of garlic
1 pint of warm water with 1 teaspoon sea salt(or kosher etc)
Mix in large bowl shredded cabbage, 1 Tblspoon salt and one probiotic capsule and kelp

pack into wide mouth pint jars that are clean and press down firmly as you pack. I use an ice cream scooper and press with it too
fill to the bottom ring and add 2 garlic cloves and extra salt water to fill and cover cabbage. You must leave some head room!
store at 50-70 degrees for a week or two and check daily.
I store mine in my drying oven where I am curing bacon.

BACON! Pancetta!

5 pound pork belly (I got this one at central market for 20 dollars but you can get really cheap ones at Asian stores)
4 garlic gloves smashed with knife
2 teaspoons pink salt(12 grams)
2 ounces kosher salt(50 grams)Dont use fine sea salt as its too salty in the finished product(trust me I have tried many times as I love sea salt)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar(26 grams)
2 tablespoons blk pepper(20 grams)ground or smashed with a hammer
2 Tablespoons juniper berries(10 grams)
4 bay leaves crumbles
1 teaspoon nutmeg(4 grams)
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme
Its better to weigh everything especially the pink salt(its ok in SMALL doses and vital to stop deadly bacteria)
you can make this with just salt or just salt and pepper. I do think using pink salt is important for beginners and does give extra precautions against deadly bacteria. But salt alone will make bacon. Just knoiw what you are doing and be very clean and keep it very cold etc. I have done all different type cures. They all work as long as there is salt!

Rub into meat lovingly and with lots of grateful intention to this beautiful animal who gave up its(probably his) life for our bacon.
put in 2 gallon ziplock(or use reusable plastic tub, not metal)
turn daily and rub through the bag in fridge for 5-7 days
remove from bag after a week and dry in fridge or cold cellar(I use an old wine fridge I got at goodwill for 20 bucks!! SCORE!!!) wrap it in cheesecloth before you hang or dry it. You can skip this step and go straight to smoking if you want bacon or not smoke it and you have pancetta
if you smoke it either do it indirect smoke on grill at about 200 degrees for 24 hours or so or do 2-3 hours in the oven at the lowest temp possible, probably 200
Slice eat enjoy! Say thank you to piggy again!

The yummy offal bits! Steak and Kidney pie

I believe you should practice what you preach and eat what you preach too! Today after class i hit the Farmers Market on the Quad. I got some lovely duck eggs for 3 dollar a dozen(great deal and huge eggs). Also bought some beautiful lambs quarters,a lettuce with a wonderful rich flavor,This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. It is also high in sodium which is very important in pregnancy. It is also a common weed so if you find it growing wild try some! They can be used as salad greens or cooked and added to stews like bean and sausage. Also makes a lovely pesto! Its also called wild spinach so think of using it like spinach. But I also bought some beef kidneys and some beef heart! Here is my recipe for steak and kidney pie!

STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE
pie crust or biscuit dough
1 beef kidney
soak the kidney in salted water for several hours or overnight. If frozen you can soak it in salted water to thaw then rinse under running water and then place in fresh salted water for an hour. 1 tsp salt to one quart water. Double if you need more water. This mellows the flavor, I then soak mine in homemade yogurt for a few hours. Yogurt recipe is on this blog.
1 piece of beef steak
I have some Heartbrand Japanese wagyu beef from Yoakum TX YUMMY!
Some root veggies Onion,carrots,turnips,potatoes,garlic (all some or none)
flour
parsley,thyme,bay leaf,salt and pepper
worcestershire sauce
red wine
stock preferably beef but anything or water will do.

After soaking kidneys cut them open lengthwise and remove any tubes membranes fat etc(the fat is amazing when rendered but thats a whole other recipe) cut into chunks and toss in some seasoned flour. Do the same with the beef. Brown then remove from pan. add your root veggies and scrap up the browned bits. Deglaze pan by pouring in wine and stock about 1 cup wine and 2 cups stock. Let this reduce and thicken. Add worcestershire sauce about 3 splashes. If using dried herbs add now. If fresh add at the end of the reduction. Put the steak and kidney meat back into the pan after its reduced to a bit thicker gravy. Turn off pan and taste for salt and pepper.
Pack the meat with the liquid into a pie pan,cake pan or individual small pot pies if you have. Top with either pie dough or try biscuit dough which is also wonderful.
Bake at 350 for as long as you can with out burning the crust. About an hour. The longer the Braise the more tender the meat will be. You can also cover the pie so it doesnt brown too much.
This recipe is also wonderful if you add cream or mushrooms or dijon mustard for a sharper flavor.
Serve with a light green salad with the lambs quarters!