His own personal silo--a comparison and parallel

When I saw this photo Gene took of the red winged black bird, it struck me that the wise bird had found his own private silo that Farmer Gene had supplied. I was also thinking (unlike this bird) how I could share and write about my own personal silo, a soup that Lauri Colwin shared with the world in her book Home Cooking. Like the bird, who thinks black oil sunflower seeds are the ultimate comfort food, so nutritious and healthy, I feel this way about soup. This recipe is truly a great basic one that you do math with, add, subtract, multiply and divide. Add some Geometry with cornbread (circles, triangles, diamonds,squares) and you have southern comfort at its' finest. I elected to try adapting the recipe to a quick one and used my pressure pan. It worked beautifully. The original Colwin recipe took three hours, mine took 25 minutes, plus a little additional time to cook the carrots through, since I added them after pressure was released. Even though my son in law, David is not here to share this soup now, in his honor I left the corn on top so he would not have to subject himself to a vegetable he does not care for. Although, I don't know exactly why I did it this way, since David is not fond of Barley either! Maybe I added the corn like this because it's cute this way, and colorful! And maybe I made it with Barley because I want David to learn to like it, Kelly likes it!






Beef, Leek and Barley Soup

Adapted from Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking

1. Trim two big, meaty short ribs and put them on the bottom of your soup pot. (I used 4) Although you do not have to, I brown the ribs and drain any fat accumulated
2. Add 1/2 cup of barley, three big cloves of garlic chopped, two chopped onions, and three leeks cut lengthwise and then into segments–use both the white and the green parts. Be sure to wash the leeks carefully, as they are sneaky in hiding dirt. You can also add mushrooms and any other vegetables you may like. Grind in a little black pepper.
3. Add about eight cups of water or beef stock and let it simmer on the back burner for at least three hours while you go about your business. You can also add lima beans, cubed potatoes, peas, corn, string beans and chopped tomatoes at any point, or the second day, should you have any leftover.
Before serving, skim off the fat–there will be a bit, as short ribs are quite fatty–take the meat off the bones, chop it and put it back in the soup.
My Notes: 20-25 minutes is sufficient if using a pressure pan. Use quick cool method of releasing pressure, by carefully taking the locked pan to the sink and running cool over the top lid until the safety valve has dropped and the pressure level has returned to normal.
I cooked mine under pressure for 25 minutes, released pressure and returned the soup to a bare simmer and added: 1 15oz can of diced tomatoes with their juice; 1/4 head cabbage, sliced thin; 1 large ear of cooked (cooked because it was reserved in the fridge from a previous meal) corn kernels, cut from the cob, 2 large carrots, scraped and in medium dice and 1 cup wild mushroom blend. Keep soup on a low simmer until carrots are just tender.
Other suggestions: Green beans, diced potatoes,lima beans, peas are also good choices. You may have to add more broth if you load it up with a lot of extra veggies.


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Mushroom Risotto, too good not to share

Risottos are so creamy and delicious.   I have never minded standing at the stove and stirring and stirring anything that tastes so good, like a roux, a custard, a risotto.  You know they require patience and constant attention.  But, in the case of this risotto, you can make it in only seven minutes, and even better, your attention can be given to whatever you are serving with the risotto.  It happily prepares itself and the results are amazing.  Hope you like this one.

Mushroom Risotto Pressure Cooker

Yield: 6 servings
Time: 7 min (10 min prep)

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions (I use 3 shallots, when available)
2 cups arborio rice
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

In pressure cooker, simmer chopped onions in hot olive oil and butter for three minutes, stirring often. Do not brown.
Add mushrooms and Arborio rice and stir constantly for additional minute.
Add broth and wine; stir.
Close lid and bring up to high pressure and cook for 7 minutes.
Release pressure using cold-water release.
Stir thoroughly, adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.

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When will Spring arrive?

I am more than ready. We have had enough warm weather to trick the grass into turning green, and to tease the delicate buds into erupting on the trees and shrubs then wham! Freeze warnings last night meant hauling tender plants back into the shelter of the porch, and covering the landscape with frostblankets. I hope there has not been too much damage. At least we can be thankful for crisp blue skies. I like the climate now in the daytime and just think of the vitamin D you can get from 15 minutes of sunshine. While we are on the subject of vitamins, we may as well throw in some fiber (14g), some calcium (4%), some iron (15%) some protein (7grams), a few carbs (22 grams) all found in a quarter cup serving of dried Pinto Beans. That is a great way to gather so much goodness for so little money. If you have a pressure cooker, it is a quick way to gather that goodness. You can have those babies on the table in about thirty minutes. While they are hissing away on the stovetop, you can bake a corn pone in a cast iron skillet, or if you are up for something a little more spicy, opt for the Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread below. Either way, you can't go wrong. Country goodness.

Speedy Pinto Beans Under Pressure

1 1/2 lbs. Dried Beans, rinsed and picked over for foreign matter or blemished beans
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Water to cover two inches above the beans
ham hock, jowl bacon, or smoked neck bones

Assemble ingredients in the pressure cooker, lock lid, and on medium high heat, bring pressure to high. Adjust stovetop to a lower setting but still keeping a steady steam aka hissing noise. Cook under pressure for twenty-five minutes. Remove pan from heat and use the quick release method of running cold water over the locked lid, until you no longer hear steam and the safety valve has dropped. Unlock lid. Taste for doneness. Adjust seasoning. If not done, bring back up to pressure and cook an additional five minutes. Any dried beans may be prepared this way. You may have to adjust your cooking time slightly.

Cornbread, or Mexican Cornbread makes these beans even better. Serve as a side dish or main course.








Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Recipe by Barefoot Contessa
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the
pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish,
3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large
bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a
wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the
lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated
Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at
room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-
inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with
the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into
large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. Read more!