A Pig in a Poke; a recipe by Celia Wakefield

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: No, dear readers, you haven't fallen asleep and awakened to find it's Sunday, and time for another delicious recipe with Celia. She's here on Friday because she's going to be busy Sunday on a very special project she wants you all to know about...

 

 

Good morning JRW’s and readers, what a beautiful, hot summer it has been. Last night we had our first chilly Maine weather but perfect for a good nights sleep. Anyway I am most grateful to Julia for inviting me back again and hopefully you will enjoy my experience and recipe with Buying a Pig in a Poke.

But I want to start with asking everyone a question. What did you do during 2020 that was completely new to you? I joined a class on writing memoir led by a visionary woman, Pat Taub, who has changed my life and my writing. I had wanted to write down my growing up as it is a little out of the ordinary, plus it was a way to remember the family members who are dead now and to whom I wish I could ask a whole bag of questions now I’m old enough to formulate them. However back to the class. Pat set us a writing topic each week, then the following class on Zoom we would read our stories and best of all listen to each other. I heard many inspiring tales, sad and funny too. I felt that my writing really did fall short. But with the groups encouragement and Julia’s too, I continued. 

 

At the class end, the group had bonded, yes we bonded on Zoom, and we wanted more. So Pat took time and continued with us. Then we discussed wanting more still. Should we think of publishing our stories? Words from older women? In the end we agreed on a public reading and have been working toward making that happen. And it is. This is why you’re hearing from me on Friday, 16th, not Sunday, 18th, as that is THE day of our reading. I invite you on Sunday, September 18th, at 2pm, to join us at the State Street Church in Portland, Maine. I am sure we have some JRW’s living in Maine. Do come and see us. Julia will be there to cheer me on. I will be doing something new to me, and a little scary too.

 

Now onto today's story and there is a no recipe recipe too. Thinking back to my childhood I have very few memories of food shopping in the places we lived. How the food arrived on the table or from where never concerned me as a child. There were no supermarkets in Trinidad or Ceylon. So this was a new experience, and an air conditioned one, when we got to Ghana in the late ’50’s. But I do remember going to the local market in Sri Lanka with my mother to buy fresh, very fresh meat. This part of the story is not for the faint of heart so please skip the next paragraph. 

 

My family would go down to the market once a week where the smells and plenty of flies made it a less than salubrious venue. At the butchers stall my mother would eye the meat offerings. I am sure she had preferences and the butcher would have known them. My eight year old eye was drawn to the little calf tied to the front of the stall with some hay to eat. Eat up little calf. I realized that this was next weeks dinner as on the far side of the stall I could see the hide from probably this weeks dinner. I can’t recall any feelings of disgust but rather an acceptance of life.

But back to my ‘pig’. I did a little googling and this phrase seems to have originated in the sixteenth century. But I found this nineteenth century reference to it in a London periodical on Wikipedia. It’s too good not to share -

 “In the April 1929 edition of the literary magazine London Aphrodite, a story by Rhys Davies, titled "A Pig in a Poke", was published, in which a Welsh coal miner takes a woman from London for his wife and regrets it.[11] (Boulton 1993: p. 278)

In the 1985 film National Lampoon's European Vacation, the Griswold family wins the vacation on a game show called "Pig in a Poke”.

I noticed during one of my runs through Facebook, that a farm, not five minutes from me, was selling half chickens. Now I do love to find our food as local as possible and supermarket chicken evokes those awful videos of factory farms, but local chicken and it was within our budget, what’s not to like? 

 

I called up, ordered  and went to collect my four half chickens already frozen hard. I was a little surprised to see that each weighed at least three pounds. Wow, I thought, those are big chickens, more on the lines of beef than veal was my  comparison. This would need slow gentle cooking. A trip to my local MOFGA Farm Store gave me beautiful fresh veggies and I was set. Welcome to another of my no recipe meals

INGREDIENTS

A half chicken or approximately 3# chicken parts 

Mixed veggies: I used a leek, cubed onion, carrots, new potatoes, mushrooms, garlic, peas

I didn’t have fresh mushrooms but used Dried Porcini Mushrooms which need to be soaked in water. That water then becomes part of the stock. 

Olive oil

1/2 Cup Dry vermouth

1 Cup mushroom water or stock

A heavy saute pan with lid, mine is a le Creuset

Salt, pepper or herbs are left to choice here

 

METHOD

1. If using dried mushrooms, follow soaking instructions leaving enough time before cooking

    

2. Prep the veggies and cut into reasonably uniform sizes. 

    

3. If using fresh peas shell and keep to add later.

    

4. Defrost the chicken if frozen and cut into parts if using a half chicken. I had trimmings from the half chicken as I removed the backbone and wing tips plus some extra skin etc. I used them in the saute but removed before serving.

    

5. Heat enough olive oil to cover the pan base comfortably, and heat to medium.

    

6. Arrange the chicken pieces and trimmings so that they are not crowded, and brown over medium heat. If the pan is smaller than a 10”+ brown chicken in two lots.

    

7. Remove chicken from pan and add veggies (leave peas for later) for a little browning, add more olive oil only if necessary.

    

8. Return chicken to pan fitting it in among the veggies.

    

9. Add vermouth and bring to the boil.

    

10. Add drained mushroom water or stock and reduce to low heat.

     

11. Add shelled peas.

     

12. I cooked this on the stovetop for approximately 40 minutes. When I tested the chicken it is was ready.

     

13. Add peas at the end if frozen to keep their color.

     

14. If you wish, remove the chicken and veggies to a warm serving dish and reduce the stock for a sauce. Add herbs, cream whatever you like.

     

The whole point of a no recipe meal is to choose what you want to cook, so please don’t be limited by my veggie or wine choices. Meals like this are great ways to use up that last glass in yesterdays wine bottle.

In conclusion my question again to you: What did you do during 2020 that was completely new to you?

Sunday Dinner: Couscous and Apple Cider Cake

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Two Sunday dinner recipes, since my couscous roasted veg dish is barely harder than popping a frozen pizza in. I've been eating a lot of couscous lately because 1) I love it and 2) it's even easier than pasta, which is really saying something. I had loads of winter veggies left over from the Thanksgiving shop (and the last CSA box) so I decided to use a bunch up. I also had walnut pieces left over, which made me think of a beautiful roast veg and walnut salad I had in California. The only thing I had to go out to buy was the Feta cheese.

Couscous with roasted winter vegetables

Cube assorted winter vegetables, toss in oil with some salt and pepper. I had two different squashes, onions, carrots, beets and brussel sprouts. Roast them until fork-tender.

Prepare couscous according to package directions. I cooked mine in chicken broth (also left over from Tgiving.)

When the veggies are done, toss them with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of walnut pieces and balsemic vinegar to taste. I was making enough to serve maybe two for dinner, and I used 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Mix in the couscous, sprinkle with feta cheese. Eat quickly so you can get to the really good part of the meal: desert!

Joan Emerson (via Betty Crocker) provided us this recipe for Apple Cider Donut Cake, which made everyone drool in yesterday's comments section.

Mix together
1 box Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
3/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat with electric mixer for two minutes.
Stir in 1 cup coarsely shredded peeled tart apples (2 medium)

Pour batter into greased and floured twelve-cup Bundt pan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for twenty minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack.
Place a plate or waxed paper under the cooling rack.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter; mix together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Brush the cake with melted butter; use your hand to press sugar/cinnamon mixture up the side and over the top of the cake. Wait twenty minutes and repeat.

Cool cake completely; store loosely covered.

Sounds perfect for a cold winter night to me! How about you, dear readers? What are you cooking or eating today? 

Saturday Night After-Theatre Supper

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Usually, we do recipes on Sundays here at JRW, since that's the day where most people a) have the time to dabble in something new or b) need a recipe to get dinner started right now because you have to watch Dr. Who/help the kids complete a project they've just sprung on you/jumpstart that plan for total domination of your office.
 

However, this Saturday, most of the Reds are offline and unavailable, so a recipe that doesn't require much conversation on the back blog is just the ticket. What's going on, you ask?


Well, on the east coast, Lucy, Hallie, Hank and I are attending the 2pm performance of SHERLOCK HOLMES' LAST CASE at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. Afterwards, we're doing a roundtable discussion on mystery writing of yesterday and today. Tickets are still available, and you get $10 off with code JRW, so if you're near Beantown, come by and join us!


On the west coast, Rhys Bowen and Charlaine Harris will be speaking at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego at 3pm, an event sponsored by the San Diego chapter of Sisters in Crime. The event is free and open to the public AND they're serving nibbles and sweet tea, which is pretty hard to say no to.

If you want to see Ingrid or Jenn, you'll need to travel to Seattle or Phoenix and stalk them. Sorry.


So what are we making today? This is a new dish for me, based on a couple recipes I found Googling chicken + delicata squash, which I had received in my CSA box and had no idea what to do with. I wound up making a delicious curry with one chicken breast, but you could substitute already-cooked meat from a roast bird and it would be just as good. I served it on pearl couscous, but it would work equally as well with rice or quinoa.



Chicken and delicata squash curry - serves 4 or 2 with leftovers

1 chicken breast (or 1 - 2 cups leftover chicken meat) diced
1/2 delicata squash, cut lengthwise and seeds scooped out, then cubed. Leave the skin on! (It freaked me out to do this, but it turns out fine.)
1 onion, diced (I had several stalks of green onion I wanted to use up and put that in, finely chopped, instead )
3 cloves minced garlic or 2 t pre-minced garlic
2 t ginger
2 t curry
1 t cumin
2 - 3 c leafy greens, torn or chopped. I used kale (ubiquitous) but you could add spinach, beet or turnip greens, etc.
1 c chicken broth, enough to cover squash and veggies 
1 can cream of - soup. I used cream of celery to mix it up, but mushroom or chicken would be great as well
oil for sauteeing 

Heat the oil in a skillet on high heat. Add the garlic and the diced chicken breast, stir quickly. Add 1 t ginger and 1 t curry, stirring on high heat until the meat is cooked through.

Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon. Add more oil if needed, then put in diced onions, cubed squash, and the remaining spices. Stir fry until the onion is limp, then add greens and cook for another five minutes. 

Pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the veggies, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender. Return the chicken to the skillet and stir in one can cream of something soup. Taste and adjust seasonings - remember, I don't use salt when cooking, so you might miss that.

Serve over the aforementioned rice or couscous. You can fancy it up with pita bread and cucumber-yogurt salad, but it's a meal in and of itself. It holds well in the frig if you're headed out to the show, and it tastes even better the next day.

Easy and Elegant Summer Supper plus Birthday Wishes!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Sometime you have to entertain, even in hot weather. You want to impress your friends, but the last thing you need is to slave away for hours (or when it's really hot, minutes) in the kitchen. You could get take-away, but that's the culinary equivalent of giving someone a gift still in the bag from the store, with receipt attached.

Recently, my friends Celia and Victor Wakefield had me over for a pre-concert dinner - we were going to see the second performance of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. We had shrimp, a green salad with vinaigrette, bread, and a perfect dessert of marinated strawberries with whipped cream and shortbread cookies. It felt very posh, and when Celia - who comments here! - told me she the whole thing took about 20 minutes of oven-free preparation, I was sold. You will be, too.

Celia Wakefield's Simple Shrimp for 4

1 1/2 lb pre-cooked frozen shrimp (yes, this actually works better with the less-expensive shrimp!)

Marinade:

Large clove of garlic, chopped

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp + Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning, or chili to taste 

Salt to taste 

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil.

Four hours or so before serving, place the frozen shrimp on the cookie sheet and spread out as much as possible.

Pour the dressing over the shrimp and mix, then cover with plastic wrap.

The shrimp can sit out if the weather isn’t too hot, or place in fridge.

Before serving put shrimp briefly under a broiler to warm.

Celia served the shrimp with bottled tartar sauce she had thinned with a dribble of water and cream (she's English...) and to which she added a shake of the Trader Joe's chili-lime mix.

Celia's Easier-Than-Strawberry-Shortcake

Strawberries

Brown sugar

Grand Marnier

Whipped cream (let's face it, homemade is best, and doesn't take too long)

Shortbread fingers straight out of the box

This is also best if started about 3-4 hours before the meal.  Sprinkle enough brown sugar to make a fine layer on a rimmed plate, then add enough Grand Marnier to create a shallow pool. 

 Slice the strawberries lengthwise and lay them cut-side down in the liquid. Cover and let rest out of the way on the counter. (If you need to keep them in the fridge, bring them up to room temperature before serving.)

You can serve it in individual bowls, or bring out the plate, the whipped cream, and the shortbread and let guests assemble for themselves.

I know many readers have been following along as I write about my kids growing, heading off to college, joining the navy and otherwise getting their start in the world. Today is a big day, because Youngest - Virginia - turns 18 and will be off to university in two weeks. Please join me in wishing her a Happy Birthday, and remind her that even though she's technically an adult, she should probably still listen to her mom.

Sunday Dinner with the Reds: Middle Eastern Beef and Green Bean Stew

Congratulations to Red Rhys Bowen, winner of the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel:

 In Farleigh Field

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: It's Sunday, the best time for an easy dinner. Maybe you're on the way home from Malice Domestic, maybe you've been working in the garden, perhaps you're just having a much-needed lazy day. Whichever; you want a tasty meal you don't have to spend much time on. Since I am the Queen of Lazy Cooking, I'm here to help you out, dear readers.

Today's recipe is a loose adaptation of fasolia, a traditional Middle Eastern beef stew with green beans. You can make it the slow way, with cubed stew beef in a dutch over, or you can make it the fast way with ground chuck; in either version, the prep time is minimal. Unlike a lot of stews, this is pantry-staple heavy - no need to chop and chop and chop a variety of veggies.

1 lb beef stew meat, cubed or a little over 1 lb ground chuck

If using stew beef, seasoned flour: flour, salt and pepper in a bag in which you can toss the beef. (I use saved bread bags for this, btw.)

Olive oil for sauteeing stew beef or of you're using low-fat-content ground chuck

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, diced or heaping teaspoon of pre-chopped garlic

1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes with liquid

1/2 can tomato paste

1 t each ground allspice and paprika

1/2 t each cinnamon and ground coriander (you can substitute a generous serving of fresh cilantro if you have it)

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup tapenade. This is one of my pantry staples, since I don't make appetizers or cocktail nibbles; you can substitute diced olives, but it's better if they're the kind that's been put up in oil.

2 1/2 c water

1 lb green beans - frozen, canned or fresh. They can be French cut, sliced or whole.

If using stew beef, toss the cubes in the seasoned flour and saute in the olive oil until browned. Remove meat with a slotted spoon. Saute onion and garlic until limp, then add the spices and stir to develop flavor. 

If using ground chuck, saute the meat, adding oil if necessary. Before the beef is completely brown, add the onion and garlic. Saute until limp. Drain beef is necessary, then add spices.

For both versions: add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and tapenade or chopped olives, stirring well. Add bay leaf and water.

For stew beef: bring to a boil, then simmer low for 1 1/2 hours.

For ground chuck: bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.

At the end of cooking time, add in the green beans. Simmer until heated through (or cooked, if you're ambitiously using fresh instead of frozen.)

Traditionally served on rice, we also had the leftover on spaghetti, so use whatever suits you. The stew holds up well to a bold red wine, and if you happen to have some pita bread and tzatiki or hummus from the deli, it'll look (and taste) like you made a fancy meal. No need to tell anyone it took you 15 minutes to put together.

Sihatayn! !صحتين