Comfort Food
Mar. 19th, 2007 09:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
averygoodun42When I was young and anorexic (but believe me, NOT nervosa) I had three comfort foods that I would happily eat at any time: oatmeal, ice cream and yorkshire pudding, although that last one I rarely got but once a year. Most other foods would be unappetizing at most and nauseating at worst. So, basically, I survived on oatmeal and ice cream for those years.
Those three foods are still comfort foods, but now they're comfort foods for more extreme emotional duress, rather than just feeling slightly down. I know that I need to look at what's going on mentally when I give in and buy a tub of ice cream (that's not chocolate), or wake up with a craving for oatmeal.
Now I'm finding that my overarching comfort foods are the other foods from my youth. Like cream of broccoli soup. Macaroni and Cheese (and not out of a box). Spaghetti.
That last one is surprising. I've always, always loved noodles, being the carb freak that I am, but I remember quite clearly being very unwilling to sully my noodles with the sauce. It didn't taste good to me.
Oh, how things change.
I just made another big vat of spaghetti sauce, and found that it was the perfect meal for this chilly night.
This is the way I make it. All spicing is approximate.
Over medium-high heat, take 1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef and start it cooking in a BIG pot (My 8 qt is just about right), breaking it up with a sturdy spatula. Chop up and add an equal amount of onions by bulk (about 6-7 small onions, 2-3 very large ones) and 1/2 cup of minced garlic (approximately 1.5 - 2 heads). Stir to mix and let cook while preparing the other ingredients, though stirring occasionally is always a good idea.
Chop up one pint mushrooms to desired consistency (I like them as fine as possible, even if they do become mush) and add.
Then throw in:
2 large green bell peppers, chopped.
3 finely chopped or grated carrots.
1-2 stalks celery, minced.
3 29 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 10 or 12 oz can of good tomato paste (don't chince on this!)
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1.5 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 cup minced parsley
3 bay leaves
1 - 2 teaspoons salt
3 shakes cayenne and/or 2 small hot peppers (scotch bonnets are good... I wouldn't recommend jalapeno, though) (and if you like it spicy add more, but beware that the heat will intensify over time.)
Stir until tomato paste is dissolved. Reciting or adapting the Witches dialogue from Macbeth and cackling is optional.
Once it is bubbling merrily away, add 1 - 1.5 qts of hot water (the heat is optional, really) and do a final stir before partially covering to protect the surrounding area from tomato colored spatters of variable size.
Turn the heat down (keep it simmering, but don't scorch it!) and let it cook for a long time, stirring occasionally. I find stirring every 20 minutes or so keeps it from sticking to the bottom egregiously. It should be edible after an hour of simmering, but really, it's best to let it cook for at least three hours. And, like any soup/stew-type food, it's always better as leftovers.
Those three foods are still comfort foods, but now they're comfort foods for more extreme emotional duress, rather than just feeling slightly down. I know that I need to look at what's going on mentally when I give in and buy a tub of ice cream (that's not chocolate), or wake up with a craving for oatmeal.
Now I'm finding that my overarching comfort foods are the other foods from my youth. Like cream of broccoli soup. Macaroni and Cheese (and not out of a box). Spaghetti.
That last one is surprising. I've always, always loved noodles, being the carb freak that I am, but I remember quite clearly being very unwilling to sully my noodles with the sauce. It didn't taste good to me.
Oh, how things change.
I just made another big vat of spaghetti sauce, and found that it was the perfect meal for this chilly night.
This is the way I make it. All spicing is approximate.
Over medium-high heat, take 1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef and start it cooking in a BIG pot (My 8 qt is just about right), breaking it up with a sturdy spatula. Chop up and add an equal amount of onions by bulk (about 6-7 small onions, 2-3 very large ones) and 1/2 cup of minced garlic (approximately 1.5 - 2 heads). Stir to mix and let cook while preparing the other ingredients, though stirring occasionally is always a good idea.
Chop up one pint mushrooms to desired consistency (I like them as fine as possible, even if they do become mush) and add.
Then throw in:
2 large green bell peppers, chopped.
3 finely chopped or grated carrots.
1-2 stalks celery, minced.
3 29 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 10 or 12 oz can of good tomato paste (don't chince on this!)
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1.5 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 cup minced parsley
3 bay leaves
1 - 2 teaspoons salt
3 shakes cayenne and/or 2 small hot peppers (scotch bonnets are good... I wouldn't recommend jalapeno, though) (and if you like it spicy add more, but beware that the heat will intensify over time.)
Stir until tomato paste is dissolved. Reciting or adapting the Witches dialogue from Macbeth and cackling is optional.
Once it is bubbling merrily away, add 1 - 1.5 qts of hot water (the heat is optional, really) and do a final stir before partially covering to protect the surrounding area from tomato colored spatters of variable size.
Turn the heat down (keep it simmering, but don't scorch it!) and let it cook for a long time, stirring occasionally. I find stirring every 20 minutes or so keeps it from sticking to the bottom egregiously. It should be edible after an hour of simmering, but really, it's best to let it cook for at least three hours. And, like any soup/stew-type food, it's always better as leftovers.
