Busy food-bank executive saves time in the kitchen.Byline: QUICK FIX By Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard It seems like a good idea for the head of the area's largest nonprofit food bank - which collects and redistributes food to the hungry through dozens of social service programs - to be an enthusiastic cook. FOOD for Lane County got one when it hired former state legislator Pat Farr to be its executive director. Farr, who spent his first 10 years in England before emigrating with his family to this country in 1965, remembers his mother, Margaret Farr, as a "wonderful, wonderful cook." But during his growing-up years, he says with chagrin, "I watched but I didn't do much cooking." That all changed when he went to college "and realized that Mom's cooking was no longer available." He started reading recipes - and frequently calling her for advice. It's a pattern he continued after marriage; not only did his new mother-in-law enjoy cooking, but she also benefited from having two Italian brothers-in-law - one from Sicily and the other from the north - to spice up the mix. "I started calling her, too," Farr said. These days, he and his wife Debi - she now holds the same seat in the state Legislature A state legislature may refer to a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. The following legislatures exist in the following political subdivisions: Grilling really is his favorite form of cookery, Farr said. He uses a cedar plank "to make fresh salmon taste smoked." It's a quick meal as long as you remember to "cure" the salmon the night before, with a paste of brown sugar, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. And Farr says it doesn't take a fancy plank; he buys a 6-foot-long, 1-inch-by-6-inch cedar fence board, saws off a piece the length of the fillet fillet /fil·let/ (fil´et) 1. a loop, as of cord or tape, for making traction on the fetus. 2. in the nervous system, a long band of nerve fibers. fil·let n. 1. he wants to cook and soaks the wood thoroughly, with a weight on top to keep it submerged. After 15 minutes on the grill, the fish will be cooked, and the skin of the fillet will stick to the plank, making serving simple. But do as Farr says - not as he did once, which was to take the plank into the house to serve the salmon. "The salmon on the plank looked so beautiful when it came off the barbecue, I just brought it right inside," Farr recalls, which led to a houseful of smoke and screaming smoke alarms instead of a triumphal presentation. However, for a "comfort food" supper, Farr relies on his mother's recipe for Shepherd's Pie shep·herd's pie n. A meat pie baked in a crust of mashed potatoes. shepherd's pie Noun a baked dish of minced meat covered with mashed potato Noun 1. . "If you have leftover mashed potatoes n. pl. 1. Potatoes which have been boiled and mashed to a pulpy consistency, usu. with sparing addition of milk, salt, butter, or other flavoring. It is a popular accompaniment to a meat course [U.S., 1900's], providing bulk and calories to a meal. or use potato buds, this doesn't take more than 10 minutes to put together," he said. But starting from scratch and boiling the potatoes doesn't add much time if you don't peel them first and cut them into small pieces. He also still enjoys a quick version of Beef Stroganoff beef stro·ga·noff n. Thinly sliced beef fillet sautéed and mixed with onions, mushrooms, sour cream, and herbs, often served on a bed of noodles or rice. . "Debi and I started making this dish when we were in college," Farr recalls. "We had little money and even less time. We served it to friends regularly." His recipe, Joe's Special, comes from a restaurant popular in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden in the 1960s - Original Joe's Original Joe's is the name of a well known pair of restaurants in Downtown San Jose, California and the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, California. They serve a wide variety of foods, themed more toward Italian food, however other more mainstream American favorites like - which scrambled ground beef, spinach and eggs together in a hearty, inexpensive and fast one-dish meal. Shepherd's (Cottage) Pie 1 pound ground beef (or lamb, chicken or turkey) 1/2 cup chopped onions 2 to 2 1/2 cups chopped vegetables (any combination of carrots, celery, broccoli, zucchini, peas, corn, spinach, parsnips) 2 cups beef stock Noun 1. beef stock - a stock made with beef beef broth broth, stock - liquid in which meat and vegetables are simmered; used as a basis for e.g. soups or sauces; "she made gravy with a base of beef stock" (chicken stock if using lamb or poultry) 1/2 cup red wine 1 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and pepper
5 cups creamy mashed potatoes (fresh, leftover or instant) 1/4 cup melted butter 1 teaspoon paprika paprika: see pepper. (optional) 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional) Saute ground meat in a deep, ovenproof ov·en·proof adj. Capable of resisting the heat produced in a kitchen oven: an ovenproof casserole dish. ovenproof adj → refractario, skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Saute briefly until onions begin to look clear. Add stock, spices and red wine. Simmer 5 minutes. Add any remaining vegetables and continue to simmer until vegetables are bright in color. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat; press down with a spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. , then spread mashed potatoes across the surface of the ingredients in the skillet. Use a fork to create furrows in the potatoes, and sprinkle the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley also, if desired. Place under a preheated broiler broiler a young (about 8 weeks old) male or female chicken weighing 3 to 3.5 lb. for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. for later use. This recipe can be converted for vegetarian dining; replace meat with an equal amount of additional vegetables, and substitute vegetable broth for the meat stock. Serves 4. Quick Beef Stroganoff 1 pound ground beef 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 3/4 cup beef stock Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup sour cream 4 cups hot, cooked noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. , according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. package instructions Saute beef over medium heat until browned. Add onions and flour and continue cooking until onions begin to look clear. Add garlic and mushrooms, and saute 2 minutes more. Add beef stock, and cook until thickened thick·en tr. & intr.v. thick·ened, thick·en·ing, thick·ens 1. To make or become thick or thicker: Thicken the sauce with cornstarch. The crowd thickened near the doorway. 2. , about 2 minutes. Season to taste. Add sour cream and heat through. Serve over noodles. Serves 3 to 4. Joe's Special 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 pound lean ground beef or Italian sausage 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional) 1 package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and well drained 4 eggs, lightly beaten Salt and pepper to taste Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and brown thoroughly; drain off excess fat. Stir in mushrooms and cook through, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to high; add the eggs and stir constantly until well blended and cooked through. Serve immediately. Serves 3 to 4. Taquitos de Pollo 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken 1/2 cup green salsa (purchased) 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon cumin cumin or cummin (both: kŭm`ĭn), low annual herb (Cuminum cyminum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), long cultivated in the Old World for the aromatic seedlike fruits. Salt and pepper to taste 8 small corn tortillas Oil for frying tortillas Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the chicken, salsa, onion, cumin, salt and pepper; set aside. Quickly fry tortillas on both sides over high heat in a heavy saute pan coated with oil, until hot and soft. Spread tortillas out and place equal amounts of the chicken mixture on each. Roll up loosely and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Bake until tortillas are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve with guacamole or salsa. Quick Guacamole 2 large, ripe avocados 1/2 cup purchased green salsa 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper sauce 1 cup sour cream Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients except avocado. Dice the avocado and mash together with the salsa mix. Put in serving bowl and put a dollop of sour cream on top, or serve sour cream on the side. Quick Salsa 1 can chopped tomatoes (15 ounces) 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 small can (about 6 ounces) diced green chilies 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 cup red onion, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste Mix ingredients together, and serve immediately. Keeps in the refrigerator up to a week. |
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