TWO POTS AND THREE SKILLETS

     So here we are in the midst of winter. And it certainly feels so outside right now! This is still a time of short days, a time when peoples of antiquity were not doing any work with crops or planting.  Not really getting outdoors much. Snow may well be covering the ground and tending the animals in pens and stables was likely the brunt of the work, aside from keeping wood cut for fires. Hearty foods as best as could be cooked, would keep the blood warm and bellies full. At this time of year there was no fresh meat left, and the veggies were root crops from  their stores in the root cellar, and a few carrots which might still be in the ground, plus in some places cabbage and kale can still be growing. They had eggs, mostly from last year as hens lay little, (note eggs will actually last a long time if the shells are never compromised, they are natures sterile container.)  They would have grain stores, and dried meats and dried fish and dried fruits, possibly candied fruits for the lucky.  Foods like aged bacon and ham, jerky, breads, cabbages, carrots, potatoes, onions, turnips and beets.  Dishes like large warm loaves of bread and hashes of cabbage potatoes and ham.

     These are still the foods we often eat at this time of year. Yes we can get fresher food, but a pot of stew sounds great. Ham, bacon, eggs and bread sound really nice as well in the cold weather, well anytime really!

     I cooked four of five foods customary for this time, ham, onions, potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. Asparagus is a spring sprout, but hey, someone gave me some big stalked spears that I thought would be tough and to my surprise they were tender as ever. They had a really good taste too. So here are the results of my experiment last evening. I’m calling it “Two pots and Three skillets” and you will need just that. Or you can adjust with a little microwave help. I started with the following ingredients:.. plus one large pot, one medium pot, two large skillets, one needing a well fitting lid, and one small fry pan, with a lid.

§        Ham slices rather thin, about 8 good slices, and I halved each one.

§        One nice yellow onion

§        About one pound of thick asparagus stalks cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces

§        7 nice fat carrots

§        7 small potatoes, red new potatoes are nice.

§        About 2 and ½ sticks of butter (or margarine)

§        ½ cup lemon juice

§        three or four garlic cloves

§        about three or four rosemary sprigs if you can get them.

§        plenty of salt and black pepper

§        1 tsp lemon pepper

§        1 tsp garlic powder, plus more for sprinkling

§        dried parmesan cheese for sprinkling

§        about ½ cup canola oil for frying

§        ½ tsp of asafetida or if you can’t get  it onion powder will do

§        1 tsp dried orange zest

§        ¼ tsp nutmeg

§        1 tsp cinnamon-sugar

§        ¼ cup of each—shelled and roasted almonds and pistachios

§        1 tbsp brown sugar

§        2 tsp chili powder

§        ½ tsp cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning.

     To start, scrub your potatoes, leaving the peels on. And scrape your carrots and trim the ends. Also clean your asparagus trimming as needed. Bend each one holding it towards the large end and they will naturally break off at the point where the stalk is getting tough. Wash and chop the rest all the way through the tips in about 1 inch pieces. Place the asparagus in the smaller pot, and the whole carrots and potatoes in the larger pot. Salt each pot very liberally so the water you’re about to add will be  very salty. Add half of your lemon juice to each pot, which works out to ¼ cup in each pot. To the large pot, with the potatoes and carrots, add the whole garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs and fill with cold water. To the smaller pot, of asparagus add just enough hot water to cover the asparagus. Note if you wish you can cook the asparagus in the microwave using a glass microwave safe bowl. Fill the bowl just as the pot instruction with asparagus, water and lemon and salt  to just barely cover the pieces, and go 6 minutes to start then about 4 more at a time until they are tender. Probably 14-16 total. There is a great hint for steaming whole asparagus spears in a jar in the microwave which I, or my friend Sophie, will tell you about another time.

       If not using the microwave, then start both pots boiling on the back burners. Put a lid on the asparagus. Let the potatoes and carrots come to a boil. As the asparagus comes to a fast boil with the lid on, open and check them after about ten minutes for tenderness. They should take a spearing with a fork easily, but the best way is to cool a piece enough to bite into. They should be just a tiny bit still crunchy but easily eaten. Continue to cook them until they are tender.

     The carrots and potatoes need to cook from the cold water point for about ten plus minutes also but they will not be done. To find the stopping point, while they are boiling, try to spear a potato with a fork. Just as soon as a fork is able to penetrate a potato turn off the heat and drain them in a colander, then rinse in cold water. They are parboiled and the carrots should be just slightly rubbery but not tender, potatoes still rather hard. Set them to cool just a bit, possibly in the refrigerator. While they cool drain the asparagus well.  Set that aside while you melt about 6 tbsp butter into the smallest fry pan. As soon as the butter is melted add in the chopped tender asparagus and sauté turning gently with a slotted spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 1 tsp of each lemon pepper and garlic powder. Cook this together on a medium heat  for just about 3-4 minutes. Take off the heat and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese. You will add more to taste at serving time. Set this aside with a lid on or in a warming oven, while you set up the other two skillets on the front burners of the stove.

     Take out your potatoes and carrots and slice into ¼ inch slice rounds. Separate the carrots and potatoes into two bowls or piles. Cut your onion in half long ways (tip to root) peel each half onion down towards the roots then holding the root part, slice into thin slices of half rings. Have your ham slices ready to cook. And have a pan with paper towel for draining  or a draining rack set next to your space.

     In one skillet place the canola oil and start it heating. In the other with the well fitting lid melt about 6 tbsp butter. Add the onions to the butter and keep the heat on high for a moment as they are starting to cook. Add some of the carrots to the oil and start them frying one layer deep. Just let them fry do not mix them or try to turn them over until on side is getting done. Meanwhile do mix and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. At this point cover them with all the slices of ham layered across them. Cover the skillet with the lid and lower the heat to the very lowest point. As you cook your carrots, and then follow with cooking the potatoes let each side cook well about 4-5 minutes undisturbed.  Then turn only once. The carrots will darken each side and get just to beginning of a crunch stage but the potatoes will be golden brown and nicely crispy. Drain both in a pan on paper towels or if you have a rack that’s great. As each batch is done and draining sprinkle liberally to taste with salt pepper and garlic powder. Then after each batch drained and seasoned place them into a glass casserole dish arranging carrots and potatoes nicely together. After the potatoes and carrots are done. Check your ham. The onions should be nicely caramelized and ham cooked softly. Push the onions aside and place the ham on the skillet bottom and rearrange the onions on top now. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne or Cajun seasoning. Cover and put back over the low heat.

     Place the nuts in a plastic bag and pound with a meat hammer or rolling pin just until they break up but do not pulverize them.

     In a glass measuring cup or any glass cup melt the remaining butter about 8 tbsp, which you have sliced in pats. Do this in the microwave no more than 20 seconds, or melt in a small sauce pan. Do not melt too far, just until some but all of the butter is liquefying. Take a fork and mix the rest of the pieces into a nice thick well blended liquid. Add the asafetida, nutmeg, orange zest, cinnamon-sugar and nuts, and blend all well. Pour this over the potatoes and carrots covering all well. Place the casserole in a warming oven to hold.

     Go back to your ham. Turn up the heat all the way. Mix the chili powder and brown sugar. Open the lid and sprinkle the sugar mixture over everything. Mix it well into the onions then flip the ham slices over and around in to all the mixture. Take the ham off the heat. If your asparagus has cooled heat it up now while you lay out the ham.

     Pull the ham slices out of the onions with tongs and lay them staggered along the center of a platter, then pour and spoon the onions and sauce over the top of them. Place your asparagus in a serving bowl and sprinkle with more parmesan to taste.  Now…Serve all three…platter, casserole, and serving bowl hot on the table. I added little toasted cheese and lettuce sandwiches for bread just cause I like something to sop up sauce with, but you can forego that or use the bread of your choosing…yummm if I say so my self.   However…

     My daughter and son-in-law happened by and their reviews were excellent. Enjoy!!

Blessings mes amis