good cateress newsletter January 2009

good cateress newsletter, January 2009


In the bitter cold of the last few weeks, I am again, reminded that I would have made a truly lousy pioneer woman. I do like the comfort of heating, duvet and warming foods.

Although, I suspect we would have survived better without the media terrorizing us on a daily basis, with their figures and projections of doom and gloom. Even in the midst of joy at the inauguration, they continued to whisper in our ear, Can he do it? Can President Obama save the country? Could the media give him more than a week to try?

It reminds me of England's Winter of Discontent in 1973/4, when under Prime Minister Edward Heath the three day work week was bought in. Nightly on the news we were shown the ever dwindling stocks of coal that powered Britain's power stations. Which led to the country being limited to 16 hours of electricity a day. It is hard now to imagine a western country being without constant power. Each day we had no power from either 4am - midday, midday to 8pm, 8pm to 4am. So every fourth day we got up to go to school by candlelight, or went to bed by candlelight.

8pm meant no telly, we were teenagers what on earth would we do? It was great, we played games, talking, laughing in front of the fire, lit by a tilley lamp from Murray and Janette's boat, Grey Cygnet or the mucky duck, as she was fondly known. Board games, like Scrabble, Risk, Monopoly, We had always played card games, sitting at the kitchen table playing as mum cooked dinner. Patience if we were on our own; Whist and its myriad varieties, Sgt. Major, Hearts, Solo, Bridge. And my favourite Cribbage. I have often thought I learnt to count by playing cards. On another table there was a jig saw on the go, someone was always stopped beside it, having spotted a piece that would fit, and then be hooked into working that corner for an hour or so.

Of course we would have eaten long before 8pm, something from England's true home cooking of winter warmers, soups, stews and casseroles, always with potatoes and a winter Brassica; January King cabbage, cauliflower - all of which grew in the fields along the cliffs of the South Wight on warm days you could smell them. A few winters later the potato harvest failed and Britain had to change again to eating something other than potatoes, rice and pasta were not eaten as they are now; the tv had to show people how to cook these novelty items!

England is in many ways a gardeners paradise, as produce is grown year round. There is usually some local green available. Looking back on it now, I think I enjoyed coming home from school, after munching on a warming slice of toast and butter, heading out to the garden to pick Brussels Sprouts, Purple sprouting broccoli, pull some leeks. But I know I complained then, and I have conveniently forgotten the rainy, damp days.

One of my all time favorite casseroles is Chicken in a pot. Most countries have a version of this, as do most families. I make mine in our largest Le Creuset. I take an organic, hormone free chicken, wash it thoroughly - I like to put my chicken in a bowl of cold water and lemon juice for ten minutes or more to clean it - season it and place it in the pot. I then take a cacophony of vegetables, really whatever I have to hand: leeks, onions, celery, carrot, garlic, peppers - hot and sweet, sweet potato, squash - butternut, zucchini, potato, thyme, marjoram; a little water, a splash of white wine, if I have some open. Lid on, pop in the oven for a couple of hours. The cooking aromas are a comfort of their own. When I start to eat and the symphony of flavors hit my tongue, I sigh with contentment. My body then starts to glow from within as the healing nutrition pulses through my veins.

Today we had a whole turkey breast, bone and all. We seem to eat a lot of turkey, which truly is the other white meat! It seems to me to be like a placebo, it can replicate any other meat you want. I skinned and boned the breast, believe me if I can do it you can. I didn't need it to be perfect and wanted some meat left on the carcass. This I took and roasted it with onions, celery and carrots for an hour or so. I then placed it all in a stock pot to become stock for our soups for the week. We like a broth based soup, again made with whatever vegetables are around. I use many of the same vegetables from the Chicken in a pot, chopped, sauteed broth added, slowly cooking, then adding noodles and shredded kale.

One half of the turkey breast we will grind up, Num will make Turkey Chilli. Some weeks we make pasta sauce, meatballs in tomato sauce or meatloaf. The other half we cut into steaks to grill or cutlets to saute. Sometimes I roast a half to have for sandwiches. I have to confess there is nothing gone to waste, as long as I didn't think about the thighs and drumsticks! I almost feel like Mrs. Beeton with a side of pig or lamb!

It would not harm us to return to our mothers and grandmothers cooking. Planning the weeks meals with health and economy on our minds. In the last 30 years of growth and greed, this sadly, seems to be what we chose to leave behind. And yes, I know we all work now, and our lives are harder. But, if we put half a day at the weekend to the side for cooking, I think we could discover that it is both pleasurable and relaxing.














Turkey meatballs in tomato sauce

1lb ground turkey breast
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
teaspoon of chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1/4 teaspoon cumin
pinch of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Bring turkey breast to room temperature. Place in bowl large enough to mix the ingredients. Peel the onion and grate into the turkey meat, chop the garlic or put through garlic press. Add all the seasonings. mix together, until well blended. Make required size balls with the turkey.

In a skillet heat some olive oil, add the meatballs to the oil and gently brown on each side. I have to confess I end up with a sort of triangle shape meatball. When browned remove from skillet to plate.

1 can of crushed tomatoes - I like progresso
3 cloves of garlic crushed or chopped
a little chopped jalapeno or other hot chili, if you like

Add the chopped garlic to the skillet that you have removed the turkey balls from, saute briefly - do not let burn. Add the pepper if required, I like a little heat to my tomato sauce; then add the crushed tomatoes. If I have a fresh tomato, I chop that and add that first, it changes the flavor. Season the sauce to your liking, I always add a teaspoon of sugar to the tomatoes, I think they need it. When the sauce is simmering nicely, add the meatballs, cooking for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Cook spaghetti or your preferred pasta. Add the meatballs and sauce, mix together and serve immediately with Parmesan to sprinkle on.


Stay warm and optimistic. We can change and overcome.