Maple Bacon Beans

These beans are proof that some of the best dishes are really quite simple. Bean, bacon, onions, mustard and some maple syrup make a perfect combination. With some breadcrumbs on top or a slice of toast, it makes a great winter dinner. In summer, it makes a great side for picnics and barbeques. As with most things, the better the bacon the better the results. Tonight I used 2 slices of hickory-smoked bacon from Zingermans along with 4oz of salt pork.

Adapted from Gourmet Cookbook (p.269)

2 Cups (14 oz.) Navy beans, dried
7 oz Salt pork or bacon, whole or diced
1 Cup Onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
2/3 cup Maple syrup
1 teaspoon Mustard, dry (or 1Tbs wet)
4 Cups Water (or substitute up to 1 Cup white wine)

1. Soak beans in 2 quarts cold water in refrigerator for 8 hours or more. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 300F
3. Mix all ingredients in an ovenproof 3 quart or larger pot or baking dish.
4. Bring to boil on stove.
5. Cover tightly and transfer to oven.
6. Bake 2 hours or until beans are tender.
7. Uncover and bake 60 to 90 min more

Pressure cooker method: Replace steps 3-6 by cooking all ingredients in pressure cooker for 40 minutes. Finish with step 7 in oven or on steam mode in pressure cooker.

pressure cooker

At my request, my mother bought us a pressure cooker for Christmas. Up until recently, had anyone asked me about pressure cooking, I would have given the vague reply that my mom used to can things in hers. I can picture it on her stove, the steam vent spinning and sputtering around on the top, emitting a steady line of steam. Several years ago there was an incident in which the cooker got stuck shut with a whole batch of what my mom said was her best sauerkraut. My dad was able to rescue the kraut by sawing off the top somehow, but she had to get a new pressure cooker. I didn't want it so much to can things, but to cook things rapidly, specifically beans and whole grains. I like to buy beans dried, both because they are cheaper, and often tastier, but I often forget to soak them in advance. Thus, the pressure cooker. In the fast few days, we cooked wheatberries (only 30 minutes!) and collard greens (20!). I also discovered that our cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (Deborah Madison) has many variations for using the pressure cooker. My model is especially nice, because it doesn't use the stove, has low/high pressure, and saute and slow-cooking functions.

Food goals

I do not believe in setting goals specifically upon the new year, but instead chose to make continual efforts to make my life, and that of my loved ones, better. That being said, I have a few things I have been thinking about in the past couple of months that I would like to keep in mind in the months and year to come. Inspired by many recent purchases, my sister-in-law, and my mother's gift of 3 jars of pickled beets upon our holiday departure, I would like to learn more about fermenting and preserving vegetables. Living in the northeast, there is a real lack of produce in the winter months, not to mention anything local. In the past, I have gotten better at purchasing large quantities of produce in the summer and storing these items to eat in the winter. However, this may not be the best way to preserve all items. In addition, I would like to work on incorporating more grains into my diet. I love them, but I don't think to make them as often as I should. I would also like to try making my own cheese, and find a great store to purchase free-range, organic, local meat products.

On packaging

Another of my on-going quests is the search for beautiful, simple packaging for food gifts. I have had mixed success with boxes, and much more success with paper and cellophane wrappers. What I would like to find are sturdy 2-piece brown boxes with tops that lift off that can be re-used, and vintage tins (I should really look for these on ebay) that come in multiple sizes and are not too expensive. I am going to go shopping after the holidays and look for these things on clearance. I would also like to find these same type of boxes for large, non-baked gifts. It would be great to have reusable boxes in particular, since I have a love for all paper products/ribbons, but can't bear the thought of the recipient tearing it haphazardly off the box and crumpling it up in the trash. My pocketbook doesn't appreciate this either, as pretty packaging can be pricey. For the past several years I have been using a large roll of tan paper and decorating with various ribbons, old holiday cards, yarn, whatever I can find that's inspiring. I loved the yarn look I did last year, but I got a couple of odd (can't she afford ribbon??) looks from a few people.

Christmas baking

I love the holidays for many reasons, but I would say that my amount of holiday cheer can be directly correlated to the amount of baked goods accumulating in our kitchen. Each year I vow not to go overboard as I have done in years past, and think that perhaps I made one too many cookie recipes. Last year I finally gave up, because nothing makes me happier than being in the kitchen in December covered with flour and surrounded by cookies in all stages of baking. I make some of the same cookies year after year, but I always mix old with new. I firmly believe that a holiday cookie has to be both extraordinarily pretty and over-the-top delicious; fulfilling both of these is a challenge. Many cookies are mostly one or the other, and many of those I bake fall into this category. Thus, I am always working towards the goal of a repertoire that fulfulls both. I should also note that I prefer my cookies to be sturdy, since we drive quite a distance to family over Christmas. I source recipes from all over, and alter as I see fit (my favorite sources are rather obvious). This year I made the following:



Indian Brittle (Gourmet )

Five-spice gingersnaps (Gourmet )

Glittering lemon sandwich cookies (Gourmet, December 2008)

Fruit and nut chocolate chunks (made with blueberries, cherries, pistachios, cashews and almonds, Gourmet )

Pistachio currant shortbread (NYTimes)

candy canes (Martha Stewart Living, December 2008)

chocolate truffles (raspberry, orange, sambuca and coffee)

peppermint marshmallows (Martha Stewart Living, December )

panettone (this is really Jon's forte; variation on several recipes after many years of experimentation)

fruitcake (Martha Stewart Baking)



Did I REALLY make all of this??? I guess so.......... More importantly, I would like to remember the things I didn't get to try this year: Chocolate Babka, torrone and chocolate-covered pear slices.

cranberries

I went to the grocery store recently with the intent of purchasing cranberries. They were not easy to find, and only located in a very small section of the produce cooler, and nearly buried by the overbearing greens next to them. Come Thanksgiving, I know that there will be a large display of cranberries, which will be there for a couple of weeks. However, I think cranberries are hugely underrated. I would be willing to bet that most people don’t buy fresh cranberries at Thanksgiving, chosing instead to simply grab a can of jelly as an afterthought. I love cranberry sauce in all forms, and it is a part of my mother's relish tray every year. I think cranberries should be a more common component of everyone's grocery cart; they are healthy and delicious in all forms. I have made several versions of cranberry sauce, including those classified as compote, relish and gelee, and none of them were terribly complicated, mostly involving either roasting or stewing the berries on the stovetop in combination with, or adding at the end, all forms of fruits, fresh, frozen and dried. They can be eaten on sandwiches, with yogurt, and as an accompaniment to all sorts of meats. A simple sweet bread or muffin is delicious, as well as pies, tarts and cakes. As a final note, who doesn't like a cosmo? This is my favorite recipe:

Roasted cranberry-orange sauce
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1T. grated orange zest
2 oranges

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cranberries in a baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar, followed by orange zest and juice. Cover with foil and bake until juices form and cranberries are very soft, ~1 hour. Remove from oven and mix in liqueur. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Segment oranges, and chop into coarse chunks; add before serving. Sauce lasts for several days in fridge.

grilled cheese sandwich

It’s late, you had a meeting at work, your husband is out of town, you keep putting off a trip to the grocery store, and you’re starving. You are relieved to finally get home and put your slippers on, and disinterested in a frozen dinner/lack the energy/time/desire to order take-out. You also want to eat something tasty for dinner. The solution is simple: a grilled cheese sandwich. All that is required is an end of a block from your cheese drawer, and a couple of slices of a good loaf of crusty bread. When I was younger my grilled cheese sandwich consisted of soft white pre-sliced bread from the IGA, buttered on both sides with a couple of slices of kraft cheese, along with Campbell’s tomato soup from the can. These days I mix my grilled cheese with roasted red pepper-tomato soup from the box, use whatever good melting cheese I have on hand and buy my loaf of bread from the bakery down the street. It's delicious - and fast!