food.deletia

There are times when you have to accept the challenge of making a meal out of your pile of leftovers and the stuff from the back shelf of the pantry. Those times happen a lot around my place. This particular masterpiece was driven by several thawed chicken breasts, some bland pumpkin from earlier in the week, and the arrival of a Penzey’s shipment that included Balti seasoning.

Then, when I was rummaging in the spice drawer I found some saffron. I don’t usually have saffron just sitting around, but my Gemaw gave it to me with some spice and seasonings that were going unused in her house. I thought I might save it for a special occasion or something. Then I decided that a delicious pan of saffron rice right now was better than a pan of ordinary rice colored yellow by stale saffron. Click to find out what’s in my stew

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I purchased a couple of pounds of pork necks from Adama Farm (via the ASN local food club). Local! Grass fed! A dollar a pound! They hung out in my freezer for a while though, while I waited for inspiration or the patience to fire up my grill. I ended up with neither, but they were thawed anyway, so I forged ahead.

I picked and trimmed the visible fat from them, and then rendered out a little more in my trusty skillet. They cooked in the slow cooker for a workday, with no seasoning other than a large can of discount green chile enchilada sauce dumped over the top.

I came home to pork bathed in a rich, brown green slurry. I poured off the broth/sauce mixture. I’ll defat it later and freeze it with a helpful label like, “pork goo. Spicy!”

I was left with what you see at left. A pile of pork, bone, meat, and an ogreish coating. Somewhere in here I started picking at them–the meat was sweet, rich, and had the lightest amount of heat.

Pork necks are way easy to pick the meat from, as long as you’re willing to toss the fat as you go. Chopsticks help.

My pile of porky goodness joined a couple of cans of black beans and some cornbread. It was a homely looking dinner, needed some green veggie on the side, but delicious and simple.

I’m looking forward to buying some more necks to play with.

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Just over a year ago, Mark Bittman published the recipe for Sullivan Street bread in the New York Times. It’s basic, slow rise white bread made from a messy, unkneaded dough, though it’s easy enough to vary. I haven’t made any other basic bread since, just brief forays into pizza, naan, and non-yeasted breads. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve memorized the proportions, though I do check on them every now and then, just to keep myself honest.

I made four loaves this weekend. This bread the lynchpin of my Thanksgiving plans this year: dressing, bread pudding, and table bread.

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