Dry Goods

This week, I was faced with several food related dilemmas- My grocery budget was gone & I was sorely in need of a few staples to supplement my produce. As previously mentioned, I am poor. Because of this, I am also thrifty and bold- Ergo, I decided to go where I've never gone before.

The first need arose on Sunday- I wanted tacos. I had no tortillas. I did have corn flour, and an astonishing amount of moxy. I had never made tortillas before. After pulling up a recipe on allrecipies.com, reading the ingredients and procedure, I decided to go for it.

Tortillas seem to be a very simple thing- They only have a few ingredients, don't need time for proofing, and can be ready quickly. My yeas as a line cook allowed me to witness tortillas being made by the adept hands of skilled Mexican ladies. I was confidant that their method had stuck with me. I was wrong.

My first issue was ingredient-related. I did not have masa harina (corn flour), but rather a very fine corn meal. Not to be dissuaded, I went ahead anyway. Issue #2 came in procedure- I used tepid water instead of hot. The result was a thick polenta-like mass. Desperate to remedy this situation, I referred to the recipe, which stated that the proportion of wet-to-dry may need to be adjusted until the dough is "pliable and smooth". So I sprinkled in more "masa", and kneaded away. My mixture became like floam- noisy, jagged, and not like the playdough consistency I had envisioned. So I tied on my thinking cap, and frantically started dumping gluten-y things into the mix... it came together, and seemed to be more willing to become flat and hold its shape. Satisfied, I wrapped the dough-wad and set it to rest in the icebox.

And now the big dilemma part comes in. I do not own a tortilla press, nor would I know how to use one. The recipe said the mixture could be rolled flat between two sheets of plastic, so this was the approach I decided to take. Epic. Fail. My mixture was super sticky- it wouldn't come off the plastic. So I tried waxed paper- it couldn't hold up to the moisture content. So I decided to treat it like pie crust, sprinkled some masa on the counter, and rolled the little buggers flat. After a spin around a hot enamelware skillet, the end result was a chewy, corn-tastic disc that vaguely resembled a thick tortilla. They're definately edible, and I will try this one again in the near future.

The second need arose yesterday afternoon- I wanted crackers. After my tortilla adventure the day before, Crackers seemed like an easy followup. Again, I scanned the interwebs for a suitable potion, and came back to the trusty allrecipies.com, who provided a recipe for a basic wheat cracker.

Much like the tortilla, the cracker has very few ingredients, doesn't need time for proofing, and can be ready quickly. Unlike the tortilla, the cracker is made en-masse and doesn't require too much skill. The dough for crackers is INCREDIBLY dense- denser than pie-dough, and really needs to be kneaded (no pun intended...) to get all of the glutens working. When you roll it out, thinner is much better, and will glean a shorter baking time. What's fun about crackers is "cracking" them apart after baking- I just did a standard square shape, but i suppose you could get real creative and do other shapes, as well. Just be SURE to put your "crisper holes" all the way through the dough- otherwise you'll end up with something chewy.

Was my thrift worth the effort? Sure. I saved a few bucks, kept myself busy for a couple afternoons, and get to enjoy some preservative-free versions of some of my favorite munchies. Most of all, I'm glad I got to poke around in my pantry and use the raw product that I found there- it can be fun to unleash the potential of flour. It's like one of those capsules that turn into a dinosaur- except not quite as cool....

Black Beans

I have a tremendous amount of respect for dry beans. Years as a (poor) student, vegetarian, and frugal foodie have turned me on to the vast potential that lies in this cheap bulk-bin staple. Black beans (Phaselous vulgaris) are related to kidney beans (Phaselous vulgaris)- they are so closely related, infact, that they share the same Latin moniker.

Beans are a nutritional jackpot. They are high in fiber, magnesium, phosphorous and iron. They are low in fat, and an excellent energy source! When paired with rice, corn or wheat, Beans create an incredible vegan protein source.

Black Beans are well-known in Latin American cuisine. Cooked beans are often added to burritos, re-fried, or stewed. They have a hearty flavor & creamy texture that holds up remarkably well to long cooking & reheating. The rich, earthy taste holds up well to spices and hot peppers, and pairs excellently with citrus!

As a bonus, Dried beans will store indefinitely in your pantry. Soaking the beans, either overnight, or with a "quick-soak" method, will ready them for use. This can take some time, but the result is far superior to canned beans!

Once soaked, the dried beans transform from turtle-like black pebbles to lovely purpley and blue hued gems nearly double their original size.

In the spirit of the "snowpocalypse" that has descended on DC, I whipped up a hearty, south-west style Black Bean Chili to showcase this little gem and remind me of more arid climates.

Black Bean Snowpocalypse Chili

1/2 pound dry Black beans, rinsed & soaked overnight

1 softball-sized yellow onion

1 fist of garlic (5+ cloves)

1 TBS Olive Oil

1 medium sized Sweet Potato

3 TBS Cumin

2 TBS Cayenne Pepper (or more to taste)

1 TBS hot pepper flakes

2 TBS Coriander

1 TBS Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Bay leaves

15 oz can of Organic Corn, Drained

15 oz can of Diced tomatoes

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Rinse Dry Black beans, checking for debris. Place in a bowl or pot, cover with water and let soak overnight, or according to package instructions. Drain & set aside when ready to use.

2. Dice Onion, mince or press garlic & heat Oil in the bottom of a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion & Garlic to oil. Saute until onions become translucent.

3. Turn down heat to medium, add spices, stirring often with a wooden spoon.

4. Cube sweet potato into 1/4 inch pieces. Add to pot & continue to stir.

5. When spices are fragrant, add 3 quarts of filtered water, bay leaves, beans, and corn. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

6. Reduce heat back to medium & let simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes- 1 hour, until beans are tender. Add tomatoes, salt & pepper to taste. Let pot simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes longer.

7. Invite friends over. Build a Snowman, and eat Chili afterwards.