We All Hear Voices

     Jack unscrewed the lid from the hot

Mason Jar and removed the rubber-

sealed cap. The smell that emanated

from  the jar stuck with him for the rest of

his life.--it was a succotach of corn, 

rice,beans, chicken and cheese that he felt

to his core. For the longest time, he sat

and smelled the jar of food.  As he did, a

flood of sunlight, warm and yellow

invaded his being. The smell of the food,

the sunlight and the purring of the old

truck felt soft, like a warm blanket on a

cold evening. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds fresh shelled bean or purple hull pea
• 6 ears of roasted corn-on-the-cob
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• chicken broth

PREPARATION:

Place beans in just enough chicken broth to prevent sticking; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until almost tender. Check frequently and add more broth as needed.

Roast corn in the shuck in a hot oven. Let the corn cool, then cut off the cob; scrape liquid from cobs with the dull edge of a knife. Add corn and liquid and cream to the beans; simmer for 5 minutes. Add butter and salt and pepper to taste. Heat succotash thoroughly.

      One of Jack’s favorites is lavender/chocolate cake. A light concoction that combines the bitter taste of semi-sweet chocolate with all of its sharp edges and powerful movement is paired with smooth quietness and the encompassing warmth of the lavender.

       4 eggs; separated
       1/4 ts salt
      8 oz semisweet chocolate; broken
           -into 1-inch
      3 tb brandy  or sweet white wine           

      8 tb unsalted butter; cut into
           -1/2-inch  pieces
      2 tb lavender infused sugar
      1 ts finely crushed dried lavender
      1/2 c  sifted all-purpose flour
      1 c  fresh strawberries
      1 ts powdered sugar

Instructions

Crush lavender and mince finely with a sharp knife.

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of nine inch spring-form pan

1. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites
and salt with mixer until stiff peaks form; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate, 2 tablespoons
wine, butter, sugar and lavender. Heat, stirring constantly, until
chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well-blended. Remove from
heat and allow to cool 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the egg yolks, whisking
constantly until well-blended. Add flour in three batches, stirring until
blended. The texture will not be smooth. Using a large, rubber spatula,
fold egg whites, in three batches, into the chocolate mixture.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a knife inserted into center
comes out clean, about 25 minutes. The cake will have puffed up but will
fall promptly upon removal from the oven. While cake is baking, combine
strawberries with remaining wine and allow to stand.

4. Allow cake to cool in pan about 10 minutes, then release the pan sides.
Slide cake onto a serving platter. Allow to cool completely. Using a
slotted spoon, remove berries from wine and arrange on top of the cake.
Sift powdered sugar over the top.

            The smoke that enveloped Jack and the outdoor cooker contained a symphony of colors, sounds, and tastes. The fresh hickory fragrance was carried up from the fire in tongues of hot steam. The chilies reacted first with knife-like points, but as the skin of the peppers blackened, the points were replaced by rich violet colors and a cloud of reddish-orange sound.

 To Roast a Pepper

            To roast a pepper, start with a hot fire and whole, washed peppers. Place them over the fire, turning frequently, until they are charred and blistered on the outside. Take the peppers from the fire and place in a paper bag. Close the bag and let them sit till cool.

The heat from the grill and the moisture from the pepper will sweat the skin loose. After they are cool, remove the peppers from the bag and scrap the black skin off with a kitchen knife. Once the skin is cleaned off, cut the pepper open, remove the stem, ribs and the seeds and you're done.

Use fresh roasted peppers and chilies soon. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two, but they are best freshly roasted. If there is to be a delay in use, pack in a good quality olive oil and refrigerate.

Roasted peppers can be used in any recipe that calls for peppers. The addition of the smoky flavor will add to most any recipe; they make a great addition to any fresh vegetable or as the base for a fresh salsa.

To cook a stew requires a patient hand; the secret is a slow simmer.  Jack's stews evoke vivid memories: mama standing at the kitchen door wiping her hands on a flour-covered apron, the warm, soft touch of a flannel shirt or the brisk feel of the first cold snap.   The soupy collage of carrots, potatoes and onions, and browned meat gives aroma to the vibrant red and yellow colors that filter through on a fall afternoon.

 Jack’s basic stew

   An important reminder: there is nothing precise about stew and it’s hard to do anything wrong unless you hurry. It will almost always taste better the next morning if anything is left.

2 tb Cooking oil

1 lb stew meat

3 lg Onions, coarsely chopped

2 or more Garlic cloves, crushed

1 Bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tb Salt

1 ts Pepper

3 c Water

6 good-sized Potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 lb Carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 c All-purpose flour

1/4 c Cold water or stock

Cut the meat into two-inch chunks, dusted them in flour mixed with salt and pepper, and browned in a small amount of oil. When the meat is seared, add enough water or stock to cover the meat plus and inch and let it simmer. In a separate skillet chopped up several yellow onions and garlic, cooked them down, and added them to the meat along with the bay leaf.  After an hour or so add carrots, potatoes, paprika, and caraway seeds. If you like the goulash taste add more paprika early and often. The trick to cooking a stew is in letting the meat simmer, allowing the flavors to blend. If you enjoy your stew thicker take a half cup of water or stock and mix with a teaspoon of the dredging floor and add to the soup about thirty minutes before  it is done.