Followed the recipe in The Whole Beast, and served the bone marrow toast on top of an onion soup, with a heaping helping of flat leaf and curly parsley salad (roughly a cup of each chopped finely, tossed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic and salt & pepper). Throw a little parmesan on the top if you like, but it isn’t needed.

The marrow is so flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Took about 20 minutes in the oven on 450. And the four small bones, which cost less than $5, was plenty for the four of us at dinner.

The taste and texture of marrow is hard to explain, but it’s a bit like gravy and butter mixed together. Almost like the marrow beat bacon to a pulp and took its super powers. Wonderful is really what narrows it down, and truly is something worth trying when you consider the cost to enjoyment ratio.

Now, my only problem with this recipe is that it calls for veal bones. I meant to ask the butchers at Siesel’s where the veal came from, but was a bit put off by the abrupt service and directions, so decided to grab the marrow and take off. Regardless, here’s my concern: was the calf slaughtered because the farm needed to control its numbers for the sake of preserving a proper environment for the other cows? Or, is the farm planning on allowing for the birth of a specific number of calves with the intention of killing a particular percentage of them to satisfy the demand for veal?

I don’t know a whole lot about the process, but this was my initial question. My enjoyment of this ingredient hinges on the answer, so expect more on this topic later.

1/2 c. persimmon puree

1 1/2 to 2 tsps baking soda

2 c. brown rice flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 c. raw sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350, spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray
2. Dissolve baking soda in persimmon puree, set aside
3. mix together dry ingredients minus sugar
4. cream butter and sugar in mixer or with beaters
5. beat in egg and persimmon puree
6. stir in dry ingredients in stages
7. bake for about 14 to 15 minutes, depending on rack and cookie sheet

Buddha's hand

Buddha’s hand is a citrus fruit with no actual fruit, all rind and pith. Smells a lot like a lemon, with an extra kick, and extra level of lemon essence that is more aromatic than a typical lemon. The rind actually smells a lot like lemonheads.

I’ve been throwing the zest in hot Rooibus tea, as Trader Joe’s discontinued my favorite caffeine free Rooibus tea there, which had some orange rind. With the buddha’s hand in there, it’s as close as I’ve been able to get to the TJ’s brand.

Also saw a recipe for citron vodka: regular vodka infused with the rind.

CSA basket 11.03.09

1 bunch red leaf lettuce

1 bunch swiss chard

3 beets

1 bunch arugula

2 leeks

1 cucumber

1 bag cherry tomatoes

1 bunch mint

1 large bunch basil

1 bunch chives

4 red apples

2 green apples

2 persimmons

2 tangerines

1 bag pineapple guavas

Something is happening with the font and spacing here, so please excuse the look of this one, and the absence of further additions to the Ghostwrit(t)er(n), as form, for me, especially there, is most important. Stick with me.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch of swiss chard (Morning Song)

1/2 c. brown rice flour (Henry’s)

2 c. monterey jack cheese (H’s)

2 large onions (H’s)

1 bag multi-colored potatoes (TJs)

2 jalapenos (backyard)

2 c. whole milk

SWISS CHARD:

1. rough chop & wash swiss chard
2. rough chop onions
3. fine chop jalapenos
4. grate cheese
5. toss everything into large ziploc bag and mix well with salt & pepper, cayenne

POTATOES:

1. slice potatoes about 1/8” in thickness
2. spray baking dish with olive oil spray
3. place one layer of potatoes on bottom of dish
4. pile swiss chard mixture on top of potatoes
5. add final layer of potatoes on top
6. pour in milk
7. bake for about 30 – 45 minutes on 350, or until it all sets up

CSA Basket 10.20.09

1 bag pineapple guava

5 limes

2 persimmons

1 bunch red swiss chard

3 beets and greens

2 leeks

2 bunches arugula

1 bunch red leaf lettuce

1 bunch chives

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch dill

09.29.09

1 bunch dill

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch basil

1 bunch chives

kale

1 head green leaf lettuce

1 bunch arugula

2 leeks

3 beets and greens

1 green pepper

5 limes

2 passion fruit

got about 5 lbs of pig ears for around $20

which happens to be plenty of pig ears

especially when you’re just learning how

to prepare them/

screw them up

So I’ll include just the pig ear prep here

then incorporate them into the salad

I was planning on adding them to. But,

bacon may have to sub here for the ears.

I did the ears several ways to see if I could figure out another way to do them.

Chef Henderson’s technique:

1. Boiled the ears with some red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, & a few bay leaves, for three hours
2. After pulling them out, I think I could have stripped the skin from the cartilage, but didn’t to stick to the original process. In the future, I think I might try separating the two.
3. I heated up some canola oil, maybe a 1/2” of oil, then threw the ears in. I think I needed to wait a bit longer for the ears to dry, but I was impatient after waiting for 3 hours.
4. I cut up the ears as thin as I could without making a huge mess, then threw them in the pot with the oil. They spit fire and spewed liquid molten everywhere, so don’t do that. Wait much longer for them to dry, then do something else, not what I did. I’ll get back to this once I think on it for awhile.
5. To correct my errors here because the ears were still gummy (I am expecting something akin to bacon, could be way off and way too inexperienced to know better), I heated a pan with a little olive oil to stir fry, which crisped them up a bit. However, they were still very chewy.
6. The taste is all right, sort of like a fatty uncured, unsmoked bacon… I know, surprise! But that’s it. Onto the other processes.

Roasting the ears

1. After boiling the ears for 3 hours, I cut up the ears as with the frying method.
2. I coated a roasting pan with some cooking spray, & threw several ears worth in the pan.
3. Tossing the ears with salt & pepper, & a little chili powder, I threw it all into the oven on broil.
4. Alas, the ears began to spit again, so I turned the oven down to 350, & let them roast for 25 minutes.
5. This batch came out with a similar texture to the other, boiled, fried, stir fried batch. Still not as crispy as I would like, & not as much flavor as I want.

Crock Pot method:

1. Put the fresh ears in the crock pot with some chicken broth, enough to cover the ears half way.
2. Add some spices & let it rip on the 8 hour setting.
3. Everything looks good the night of, but dinner’s already been prepared & eaten, & the kitchen’s clean. So, I’m thinking I’m going to strip the cartilage out tomorrow after they’ve been cooled, & are hopefully holding together better, & will attempt to stuff them with some greens stir fried with bacon?

Packaged Ears

the offal box is open

Boiled ears

Chopped & Fried on left, roasted on right

CSA basket 09.15.09

1 bag tomatillos

1 bunch beets

2 bunches basil

1 bunch dandelion greens

2 other bunches greens (not sure of type)

1 cucumber

1 (anaheim) pepper

1 avocado

4 limes

2 pears

1 cantaloupe