Flea-Market Bargains!

This past weekend was the flea-market "extravaganza" outside of Charlotte, NC. There is one extravaganza in the spring and then the autumn. Neither is to be missed. The others are the first weekend of each month.

We had great weather. And great bargains. The first was a motherlode of restaurant dishes that I collect. They are not easy to find and then there I was staring at an entire box! The woman who owned the booth said, "Oh, you can have that whole box for twenty dollars." I was dumbfounded. The cheapest I ever paid for one dinner plate was eight dollars! I didn't argue and handed over a Jackson!

The box had one dinner plate with dividers. Very cool. Lots of coffee cups but only one saucer. Restaurant wear is heavy, doesn't chip easily, takes the heat of a dishwasher, and keeps food warmer for longer than most other dishes.

The next bargain was a McCoy 11-inch mixing bowl. I've always wanted a vintage bowl, but the prices can be a bit steep. This one was in great condition. No cracks and the glaze was not crackled. It was $98.00! But the price was crossed out and I thought it said $25. When I finally put my glasses on, it really said "Booth # 25. The new price was 70.00. I told my sister that if it was 50 I'd take it. And then a voice behind me said, "I'll take fifty dollars for it." It was from the woman who owned the booth. I handed over a Grant immediately.

This is the McCoy "window pane" bowl. The next day I saw a smaller one in another shop. It was 98.00! LOL . . . This bowl will sit on my dining room table.

Sausages with Cabbage, Onion and New Potatoes

You have to understand this about the South where I live in the middle of North Carolina: We just don't have wind. It's usually blue skies (until chemtrails appear) and, at best, a light breeze. But wind? Forget it. It's blocked to the west by the Appalachian Mountains. Unless, of course, it sneaks in the backdoor--which means from the east/south via the Atlantic coast which means hurricane weather. And so that's what we had for several days courtesy of Hurricane Sandy. Along with overcast skies and unusually cold weather.

People complain. But I'm in heaven.

I refer to such weather as "Michigan weather"--my old home state. All that's missing is the Big Lake itself. Of course, I love it. I want to burrow between my new down comforter and sleep forever. Or eat hot, homey-kind of food. Food that fills you up and hugs you and warms you all at the same time.

Hello, sausages!

This is a one-skillet meal. If you do your chopping the night before, it's a snap to prepare. And since I don't get home from work until after 7 p.m., that is what I've been doing.

Any mild sausage will do. For this, I used Boar's Head kielbasa. I tried others, too. And, truth be told, my favorite was an inexpensive pork sausage from my local Food Lion. In the future, I will also use a good Knockwurst. Just don't use anything too spicy that will overpower the subtle taste of the cabbage.

Once, to brighten things up, I threw in a bit of purple cabbage with the green. Not a good idea. The potatoes tinged a bit on the pink side which I found unappetizing. I also tried it without the chicken stock but noticed the difference. A bit of chicken stock goes a long way. I used new potatoes out of the can (I love new potatoes out of the can (Del Monte brand) and fresh. Either will do. For this recipe, I used fresh.

My heart goes out to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I wish could feed each and every displaced person this warm meal.

• 1 pound sausage, cut into serving-sized portions
• 12-16 ounces shredded Savoy cabbage*
• 1, 14.5-ounce can new potatoes, drained and rinsed or about 10 small new potatoes, peeled**
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup chicken stock (canned is fine)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• salt/pepper to taste

Melt one tablespoon butter in a 9 or 10-inch pan. Briefly brown sausages and remove. Wipe pan clean. Add two tablespoons butter over medium/low heat. When melted, add onion and caraway and sweat just until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic and stir for about one minute. Add cabbage. It will fill the pan. Using tongs and a kind of swirling motion to combine cabbage with onion mixture. When you notice the volume shrinking, add the chicken stock and wine. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue to stir/swirl a bit.

Add sausages and tuck in potatoes. Dot with remaining one tablespoon of butter. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

The cabbage will wilt and cook down to what almost looks like sauerkraut.

If using canned potatoes, 20 minutes is fine. If using fresh potatoes, you may need additional time to cook them through. When the tip of a sharp knife easily slides into the fresh potato, the dish is done. Allow to rest, partially covered, for about 10-15 minutes.

Don't omit the caraway. The amount specified is just enough to season
the dish without overpowering it.

If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh parsley and/or a dab of butter on the potatoes.

*Savoy cabbage is a bit sweeter than regular cabbage.
**If the canned new potatoes are large, cut in half. Or use a larger can and pick out the smaller ones.

I'm sure a good-tasting turkey sausage would do for the pork sausage. Replacing the liquid with unfiltered apple cider is something I plan to do in the future.

Witch Fingers

Fingers, perhaps, from the weird sisters of Macbeth?

"DOUBLE DOUBLE

TOIL AND TROUBLE

FIRE BURN

AND CAULDRON BUBBLE"

Hello, my little pumpkins! Feeling a bit haunted? Chased by hobgoblins lately? Halloween is just around the corner . . . trick-or-treat . . . a night of fright!

I made up these witch fingers at work the other day. In the Produce Department we get in 50 lb. bags of bulk carrots that we trim and sell. But not all are worthy of salvage. As I trimmed away, one reminded me of a finger . . . My imagination kicked into overdrive and this is what I came up with: witch fingers!

They're simple to make. Search for the most gnarly, rubbery carrots you can find. Look for "knuckles" and joints. If they are sprouting "hair," all the better!

For nails, I used pistachio shells. I traced their outline onto the carrot using the tip of a sharp knife then gently removed a bit of pulp. I placed the shell, pointed side down and "stuck" it into the flesh of the carrot. Then I gently pushed down on it to embed it into the carrot to form a kind of cuticle at the base.

I wrapped the ends with rag strips that I first moistened with water. Using a Q-tip, I applied red food color for the blood. I placed them in the refrigerator overnight with a damp paper towel on top. In the morning, the pistachio shells absorbed the liquid and looked translucent and awesome.

I placed mine in a miniature plastic coffin:

A few of these sticking out from the sides of a green salad would be intriguing.

UPDATE: I've now had these for almost one week and the look even better and more shriveled. Sometimes I give them a sprinkle of water and place them back in the fridge to  "bring back to life." LOL.

A Very Simple Veal Stew with Polenta

This really is a lovely dish. The veal is mild. The sauce is mild. Even without the polenta, it's delicious on its own. Or with a bit of noodles or mashed potatoes on the side which, in the past, is how I would usually serve it. But this time, I wanted something a bit "lovelier" that would complement but not overpower the simple stew. Polenta with a bit of beef broth and Parmesan did the trick.

I have made this recipe for years. I have no idea where I got it. I did a few quick searches on the Internet and found one on All Recipes, but I know that's not where I got it. Five or so years ago, I included it in a "family cookbook" I gave away as gifts. A similar recipe appears in the vintage "Antoinette Pope Cookbook."

If you're like me, you ask yourself how a simple recipe of meat, onions, a bit of garlic and tomato sauce can work. Well, it does!

Veal is not always easy to find. And, like most meats, it has gone up in price. Sometimes, a supermarket will cut up veal it can't sell into "stew meat" at a lower price. That's the time to snatch it.

I had intended to make the polenta in advance so it could "set up." I thought I'd slice it and give it a quick sear in a pan. But "loose" seemed the way to go. 

Rosemary can be overpowering, so be careful. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Plate #2 in a series of six that I painted many, many years ago.

Serves 2-3. Easily Doubled

• 1 lb. veal stew meat, patted dry
• 6 tablespoons tomato sauce (canned is just fine)
• 1/4 cup dry, white wine
• 1-1.5 cups diced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1, 3-inch rosemary frond
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil/butter

Melt a bit of butter and olive oil in a skillet. When sizzling, add the veal and brown. Remove from pan and set aside. You may to do this in two batches. It's not necessary to cook the veal all the way through.

Add onion to skillet and cook just until they begin to soften a bit. Add the garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and wine. Add a bit of salt but more pepper. Add the thyme. Reduce to low and simmer for about 1.5-2 hours, covered. About thirty minutes before serving, add the rosemary sprig.

POLENTA

• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup polenta (I use Red Mill)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
• Pepper
• Smoked paprika (optional)

Bring beef broth, water and salt to a boil. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in the polenta and lower heat to medium. Stir for 15 minutes until thick. Hold the whisk firmly while stirring. The easiest way to do this is to make a fist and insert the handle into it. This gives you more leverage without tiring your hand.

I have to say . . . I do love plain old McCormick black pepper.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and pepper. Add cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Pour into a lightly buttered/oiled small loaf pan. At this point, I lightly sprinkle a bit of smoked paprika on one half. Cover with cling wrap and allow to "set." You can make this ahead and refrigerate. When ready to serve, slice and fry in a bit of olive oil just until warmed through.

This will make more polenta than you need for this recipe of veal stew. I like the paprika half to use with the stew. The other half I will slice for leftovers.

Yep, I licked the plate!