Stir the Pot

One thing that always brings people together is cooking.  People like to help, and when they ask, sometimes one of the easiest things to do is hand them a spoon.  Contrary to cautionary tales, "stirring the pot" is very rewarding! 

Yesterday I made chili - and I wanted to experiment with using ground turkey instead of ground beef, pork instead of steak, and some farmers-market-purchased Italian sausage.  One thing I do fairly well is chili, and experimenting is always so much fun.  There are certain essentials to good chili flavor, and other than that, my only rule is "no beans".  I use fresh herbs instead of dried whenever possible, and since I've picked up a few herb plants from the Royal Oak Farmers Market recently, I had fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary on hand.  That is a wonderful thing, in the dead of winter!

So what are the essentials?  At the top of my list are cumin and chili powder.  Beyond that, I always include onions, fresh garlic, sea salt, pepper, Morton's Natures Seasons (I'm a huge fan of this seasoned salt) and crushed or diced tomatoes.  I like spicy chili, so I generally add chopped jalapenos or pepperoncini (and if jarred, some of the liquid from the jar), and I love chunky chili, so I have chopped celery and  green pepper in addition to the chunks of steak.  Here's where the fun comes in - going through the refrigerator and my spice cabinets to add everything else!  In no particular order, I add some of these to get an explosion of tastes: basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, V-8 juice or Bloody Mary mix, beef bouillon, onion soup mix or onion powder (even though I already have chopped onions in the recipe), garlic powder, apple cider or red wine vinegar, chocolate syrup (or if I use baking chocolate, then I also add some brown sugar), Frank's hot sauce or Tabasco (especially if I'm short on hot peppers) and tomato paste.  Chances are there are even more ingredients I've added in the past that just aren't coming to mind now.

The formula is always the same - saute the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large stockpot, then add the ground meat and chunks of meat to brown.  Drain the fat, and start adding the tomatoes and other liquid ingredients, then add any other vegetables, then the seasonings and spices.  Allow to simmer for at least an hour before adjusting any seasonings, stirring occasionally to keep meat from sticking to the bottom.  After two hours I usually add 1/2 can of beer (and then let someone drink the other half), and let the chili simmer at least another 1/2 hour.

This is a work in progress - I will add two chili recipes shortly!

Basil, Sweet Basil

One of my favorite herbs is basil. It is flavorful and fragrant, easy to grow for home gardeners, and is a popular herb in Italian dishes and other Mediterranean foods.  It also has many health benefits.

Basil is a good source of beta carotene which converts itself into Vitamin A that fights free radicals that do damage to our cells.  Vitamin A also helps keep cholesterol from building up in the bloodstream.  Basil is also a source of Vitamin C, which has many health benefits, such as fighting colds, helping to heal wounds and defending the body against cancer.

Essential oil of basil prevents the growth of different types of bacteria, and eugenol, found in the essential oil of basil, is an anti-inflammatory.  It works by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, working in the same way as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Nutrients found in basil include magnesium for the heart and blood vessels, iron for carrying oxygen to our blood cells, calcium for strong bones, and potassium to help regulate blood pressure and heart function.

Well, those are some of the many reasons basil is good for you, but even more than that, basil is such a wonderful herb to use in cooking.  If you grow it in your garden or inside on a windowsill, there's nothing like cutting off a sprig, then using it immediately in a recipe.  Since it's one of my favorite herbs, I am going to publish a recipe that became a summer favorite - simple, easy, and wonderful because of the fresh ingredients. It is absolutely the best when using fresh-picked tomatoes and cucumbers!

Fresh Tomato & Cucumber Salad

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 - 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. black pepper
3-4 cloves garlic

10 fresh basil leaves
5 fresh oregano leaves
3 sm. fresh cucumbers (pickling or slicing)
15 baby Roma tomatoes, or 20 cherry tomatoes or
    30 grape tomatoes

Mince or press garlic, then mix in with balsamic and red wine vinegars, allowing to stand for 10 minutes.  Slice basil and oregano leaves into thin strips, then put into a small bowl with your extra virgin olive oil, allowing to stand while you prepare the tomatoes and cucumbers.  Wash tomatoes and cucumbers.  If using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half, if using baby Roma tomatoes, slice into 3-4 round slices each.  Peel cucumbers, leaving a slight amount of peel on.  Slice into 1/4 in. round slices.  Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl, seasoning with kosher or sea salt and pepper.  Combine olive oil and vinegars, stirring well, then pour over salad.  Allow salad to marinate for about 1/2 hour, then serve at room temperature.  Any excess dressing can be refrigerated to use later as a marinade.  Serves 6 as a side dish.

Variations:  add green pepper and/or green onion when mixing, or slices of fresh mozzarella or dollops of chevre cheese when serving.

For a crowd:
1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2-3 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6-8 cloves garlic
15 fresh basil leaves
8 fresh oregano leaves
18 sm. fresh cucumbers, pickling or thin slicing
Tomatoes - 80-90 baby Romas, or 100-120 cherry tomatoes, or
4-5 pts. grape tomatoes

Follow directions above except layer the tomatoes and cucumbers, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.