[Sca-cooks] Winter comfort food...

[marilyn traber 011221]

---------- Original Message -----------
From: "Sue Clemenger" <mooncat at in-tch.com>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 08:33:27 -0700
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Winter comfort food...

> Okay, so with the newest batch of snow moving in this morning, it's pretty
> unlikely that I'll be getting out of town this weekend to an event I 
> was hoping to attend.  So I've been thinking....hmmm...great weekend 
> to stay home and sew (I desperately need garb), but I'd *love* to 
> put a pot of "x" on the stove to simmer, or in the oven to roast, or 
> whatever. What are everyone's favorite dishes for this sort of 
> weather? I don't mean the fancy holiday treats, or the quick-nuke in 
> the micro sweet potatoes, but the slow-cooked, hearty stuff? I'm 
> casting about for ideas..... --Maire, definitely in the mood for 
> comfort food.....

One of my favorites is ham, green beans, and potatoes. Dice up ham in stew 
sized pieces (about an inch or 2 1/2 cm on a side, Stefan), cut potatoes in 
similar sized cubes, and throw in either frozen green beans, or fresh snapped 
into 2 inch or so lengths. Add water to cover, maybe a bit of pepper or 
regular Mrs Dash (don't really need salt- there's plenty in the ham), maybe 
include the ham bone if you don't want to waste it, and don't feel like 
stashing it for a later soup bone, and either put on the stove at a low heat 
for the afternoon, or put on top of the woodburner, if you have one. Just be 
careful on the woodburner- either keep the fire low, or improvise a flame 
tamer with a couple pieces of scrap metal to keep the bottom up off the stove 
so it doesn't burn. Cover mostly (start covered, and move the cover to 
partial once it starts to simmer) and eat when you're ready.

As far as proportions, I usually use what I have, but you're targetting for 
equal weight of all three main ingredients.

You can make it quicker by starting the water to boil then throwing in the 
ingrdients and letting it simmer for half an hour or so, but it really is 
best to let it slow cook and let the flavors blend.

Serve with home made biscuits or corn bread dripping with butter, and you 
have a lovely cold day menu ;-)

Phlip