Gravy Over All

With meat prices skyrocketing, it is time to investigate other sources of protein, and beans are probably one of the best.  There have always been tales of people living on beans during hard times and there is a reason for this, they are cheap, tasty (if prepared properly), and nutritious.Do bear in mind, however, that man cannot live by beans alone.

Three great empires, Olmec, Toltec, and Aztec were founded on three main pillars - beans, corn, and rice.  It is imperative that all three be eaten because what nutrients one lacks the other makes up for.  True the natives of Mexico and Central America augmented their diets with insects and other plants, but corn, beans and rice were the workhorse of the ancient diet. The bean may have had its origins in the Andes and because of its durable nature was easy to transport – this allowed for a quick migration throughout the world.

The bean made it into North America prior to the 1500s courtesy of the Mississippian people who besides being big traders, emulated the Mesoamerican Indians and raised corn, beans, and squash. Early pioneers treated beans as ornamentals, but it wasn’t long before they discovered the food value of the bean.

Pintos are high in fiber and a good source of energy for the body. There are tables showing the nutrition of beans on line, check them out and you’ll find that beans give you the most bang for the food dollar.

One down side is beans can take a long time to prepare if done from scratch, but the trouble is well worth it because you have control over what goes into your beans and how they are prepared. Dry beans have to be sorted to ensure no stones, twigs or other debris are present, then rinsed and soaked overnight.  Beans can also be purchased pre-cooked in cans – there is still some cooking to be done if you want tender beans. The other option, as far as pinto beans, is to buy canned refrieds – all the dirty work has been done already.

If in a hurry, however, a large can of refrieds can be prepped in a matter of about ten minutes.  I like to dress the beans up a bit as the canned refrieds are rather bland without a little help. I start with one can of Rotel, a combination of chopped green chilies and tomatoes, a can of chopped jalapenos, a cup of chopped onions. a teaspoon of cumin, a teaspoon of  hot sauce, a pinch of salt, and a shot of whiskey.  The whiskey helps bring out flavor in the tomatoes while adding a bit of its own. Simmer this witch's brew up for about 10 minutes, then add a large can of refried beans. I use the fat free, which makes this entire batch come in at around 120 calories, none from fat.

Once complete you will have a lot of beans, but that is ok. They star in burritos, enchiladas, or just warmed and scooped with tortilla chips - you'll get several meals from this batch, so it is quick and economical.

Ever since man (well probably woman) discovered that applying heat to food caused it to become more palatable, and tossing in a few plants found around the cave entrance was even better, humankind has been hooked on flavor.  From the classic to the mundane, from medieval sauces used to cover spoiled meat to a spice used to enhance the best cuts compatible and pleasing flavors have been the goal of cooks everywhere.

Don’t feel like re-inventing the wheel, no worries, others who have gone before have written volumes on coaxing every drop of flavor from a dish. Two volumes that can be found in many serious kitchens are "The Flavor Bible" and "Culinary Artistry," both by Page and Dornenburg.  The results of food compatibility testing have been annotated on these pages to guide neophyte and seasoned chef alike.  Publications by America’s Test Kitchen are another good source of what works and what doesn’t, or start out with a basic recipe from a book. First cook with the recipe as it is printed, then play with the ingredients a bit.  Half the fun of cooking is adapting recipes to one’s own needs.

Be brave, be bold, and have a fire extinguisher on hand. As a friend used to say, if you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly bear…

Friday night has always been pizza night, usually a home made creation, sometimes grilled, sometimes baked in the oven.

One constant is the ratio of 3:1, three cups of flour to one cup of liquid.  Many foods can be broken down into basic components of flavor and ingredients by volume. Two books that explore this are the Flavor Bible, a good source of which flavors compliment others, and Michael Rhulman's "Ratios," a book that examines a level down to the bones of various recipes.

As Rhulman says the 3:1 ratio would make pizza dough along with a big pinch of salt and a large pinch of yeast, but it wouldn't be very tasty - some enhancements have to be made.

Try substituting one cup of whole wheat flour for a cup of all purpose flour, add a 1/4 cup of wheat germ, a table spoon of flax seed, a big pinch of salt and 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast. Might even sprinkle some Italian Seasoning into the crust mix.

This recipe provides enough dough to make two crusts, one for this week and one for next. The only thing missing is sauce and toppings.

Sauce is easy, some tomato sauce brushed on the surface of the rolled out crust, some grated Parmesan and Romano, a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and voila, sauce.   The grated cheese also acts as a glue to hold the toppings in place.

Topping usually consist of dry salami, pepperoni, black olives, and mushrooms. Make or add as suits the occasion, or what is in the pantry. Top that with mozzarella and provolone, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano.  All that is left is to bake at 425 for around 14 minutes, allow to cool a bit, and then enjoy.

When considering the Philippines several iconic dishes stand out. Pancit, Adobo, and Lumpia are found everywhere and each family has a secret recipe (only their recipe is the right one to use).

Lumpia is much like a spring roll, no surprise in that early Chinese and Thai traders brought the idea with them and the Filipinos were quick to adopt the idea and make it their own. What follows is a rendition based on an amalgamation of several different recipes for the treat...

Lumpia

1 Lbs Ground beef

1 Nappa Cabbage shredded

1 cup shredded carrots grated

2TBS Soy Sauce (Pearl River Bridge)

1 TBS peanut or cooking oil + enough to fill deep pan up to 2/3 full for frying

Lumpia Wrappers (AZUMA)

1tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1Tbs water

Heat wok, add oil swirl to coat bottom and sides of Wok. Add ground beef and carrots and mix together as beef browns, add soy sauce and cabbage and cook until cabbage is soft. Take off heat. And allow mixture to cool.

After filling is cool, use sieve to drain grease and place in bowl. Open wrappers and cover with damp towel to prevent drying out, scoop 1-2 TBS of filling and place in line in middle of wrapper. Fold wrapper over filling, fold up sides and roll, dabbing a bit of the cornstarch mixture on the flap to seal. Place on tray and keep covered with a damp towel.

After Lumpia is rolled fill deep pot or fryer 2/3 full of oil, bring to around 350 degrees and carefully add a couple of the lumpia at a time. Fry until brown, place on another tray and store in 250 degree oven to keep warm until serving.

Times are tough things are more expensive than ever, but meal time doesn't have to suffer. There are a lot of options, the first being cut out processed food. As many books point out, shop the margins of the market - fresh produce, meats, and dairy.

Check out meat sales and coupons before leaving the house and plan meals around the cheapest elements. Have to settle for tough cuts of meat such as chuck? No worries, allow for longer cooking times (braising) or invest in a pressure cooker  ("Grandma's Microwave)."  Pressure cookers can render cuts of meat requiring an ax to cut tender and tasty in under an hour. They can produce one pot meals and trap healthy vitamins in the food.

Vegetables are still cheap enough to give the most bang for the buck and while no one has to go vegetarian it wouldn't hurt to increase the amount of items from the base of the food chain. The closer to the bottom one eats, the closer to the sun's stored energy one gets. Don't forget the salad - skip the expensive pre-washed prepackaged stuff and go straight for the Romain or iceberg.  Bring greens back into the diet as well, spinach, collard and mustard greens are good cheap sources of fiber and vitamins. Beans can round things out with a big dose of protein.