The Cross & Cleaver. Where Heaven Meets Earth
What’s Your Diet? (Part One)
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” So wrote Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in his book: “The Physiology of Taste.” The implication being, that eating, and food overall, is about far more than just getting some calories into us.
In some, perhaps arrogant, way I would like to paraphrase that into: “Tell me what you believe (or not and why), what church you go to (or not and why), and I will tell you what I think of you.” Perhaps even: “Tell me how you vote and why?” 😉 I would also answer those questions if, of course, there was any willingness to have such a difficult conversation.
I write “difficult,” while thinking to myself “if not impossible.” That is because following both provincial and U.S. elections I have witnessed a truly depressing level of public discourse, if I can even call it that. We are by-and-large not curious about each other, about the choices we make in politics, in the kitchen or in our spiritual life. We are rather keen on telling others they are wrong, and we know better.
I feel “down in the dumps” as the saying goes. When prophet Elijah felt that way, the angel of God commanded him, TWICE!!!, to “get up and eat” (1 Kings 19:5,7). So, I guess I am off to the kitchen to get busy, take my mind off things and… eat. Join me?
BEEF OR PORK MAYBE BEERGUIGNON SORT-OF STEW
(ingredients in the recipe)
-In an oil drizzled, med-high preheated Dutch oven, caramelise (golden brown colour) either:
-3 lb of beef brisket (or similar), cut into generous (minimum 2 inch) cubes.
OR
-3 lb of pork tenderloin, cut into generous (minimum 2 inch) cubes.
-Once done, set the meat aside, keep the fat in and heat on.
-Add 1 large, finely chopped onion and fry until soft.
-Add 1 garlick clove roughly smashed, and mostly peeled (keep it rustic and don’t fuss, little bit of paper won’t kill you). Stir for about 2 min.
-Add 1 tbsp of flour and stir so there are no lumps.
-Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (brown buttons are best).
-Add 4 rashers of thick-cut bacon cut into 2-inch slices.
-Add a 1 L of red wine, real or non-alcoholic (use classic Burgundy or whatever is on sale).
OR
-1 L of beer, real or non-alcoholic (preferably dark, but don’t sweat it, just make sure it isn’t blueberry, peach, cucumber or anything else flavoured
-Add 2 tsp of Italian seasoning (or look up “bouquet garni” if you’re bored).
-Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 min to reduce a bit.
-Put in the meat you set aside and add 1 cup of condensed beef broth.
-Cover and transfer to an oven preheated to 350°F. Cook for 2-3 hours until meat fall apart. If you think you have too much liquid, cook the last hour without the lid.
Serve with mashed potatoes (real ones! – mashed with butter and full fat cream and seasoned with truffle salt … maybe even ad an egg yolk or two for extra richness).
My favourite salad to go with this dish is grape tomatoes cut in half, mixed with mini-bocconcini and dressed with olive oil, balsamico, pepper and fresh basil if I can find it.
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