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Day 1823/27 – Mock Cassoulet Florentine

I got to see my first paycheck from SOU. Note that i say “see” and not “received.” I don’t know if there’s a problem with the direct deposit, or maybe the money doesn’t actually transfer until midnight of the last friday of the month which i now will refer to as “PAYDAY.”

Before i forget… there are some photos on Facebook.

In any event the sum of money i’ve been promised to receive has inspired tonight’s dinner:

  1. .75 Tim Horten* mixed great northern beans and French “green” beans soaked overnight in water and Penzey’s “Mural of Flavor” spice mix
  2. 2 Tim Hortens of chicken broth
  3. 2 Andouille sausages (cut diagonally, thin)
  4. 1/3 hunk of prepared polenta with green chilis (cut into small cubes)
  5. 1/4 hunk of monterey jack cheese (also cubed small)
  6. 1 really massive handful of baby 3x washed spinach

Drain and rinse the soaked beans, add to the wonderful All-Clad saucier pan with the stock and bring to rapid boil. After about 15 minutes of fast boil, reduce heat and add the andouille sausage. After 45 minutes add the polenta cubes. After another 15 minutes add the spinach. After the spinach is wilted (but not cooked to death) stir the spinach into the bean/sausage/polenta mixture and add the cheese cubes. Be mindful of the liquid level throughout cooking…. the beans may absorb a surprising amount rather suddenly. If the beans boil dry and burn you’re basically, uh, fucked. Add water, broth, beer, or dry white wine as required to keep a stew (not soup) going.

Season with sea salt as required and serve within 5 minutes of removing from heat.

This dish, which can easily be scaled up to serve any number of people, comes in at about $2.50 per serving and is magnificently filling, and reasonably nutritious. An easy way to enable complete protein synthesis and reduce fat is to skip the sausage and serve with brown or white rice. My new favorite rice is short grain brown with the husk intact. It’s meaty.

Why am i going on about this meal? Simple: i am poor. My current gig pays more than BSU (which nearly goes w/o saying) but it still pays crap. And this town isn’t cheap. Ashland has a prepared food tax that, surprisingly, catches some Oregon visitors off guard. I need to implement true austerity budgeting and stick to it. Monthly paychecks that suck eggs will be a great motivator to save money.

*Years ago Annette and i did a big trip across Canada. At one point we made the mandatory stop at a Tim Horten’s donuts. I bought a coffee that came in a “Tim Horton’s Tourjour Frais” cup. Not a fancy thermal mug, not a fancy anything, but it is indestructible…. and it has turned out to be a perfect measuring device.

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