When you live alone, you've eventually got to learn how to feed yourself. Eating out everyday is expensive and probably not the surest way to ensure that you're eating actual food. That was the whole reason I started to cook - I'm cripplingly neurotic about what I eat. I've worked food service for many years; I know what goes on in those kitchens. You've seen "Waiting", I trust?
See, cooking is easy. Cooking is fun. Cooking is life. And anyone, male or female, can and should do it. Cooking is also an excuse to own very large knives, so, a note to potential burglars - Don't mess with a chef. We will cut you. For real.
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| Remember this? |
The way I like to cook is to pick one ingredient and plan a dish around that. When you want to walk out of the grocery store without worrying about your bank account, that's the way to go.
And the rule of thumb for saving money is this: Plants are cheap, containers are expensive. You want more actual food in your cart than food that's in a box or a jar, which is not always food. For example, a jar of diced garlic costs about $3.00. A head of garlic cloves costs about 20 cents.
Today, let's talk about the tomatillo, AKA this little guy:
Ingredient Spotlight:
Name: Tomatillo.
Origin: Mexico.
Known for: Being the meatier, more sour cousin of the tomato.
Uses: Mexican sauces, to add a sour tang.
Can you eat it raw? Sure. But don't.
What I did with them didn't quite adhere to Mexican cuisine guidelines, because there are no rules when you're a KITCHEN BOSS. Typically, you should roast or boil the tomatillos, then mix them in a blender. I skipped the blender step because I didn't want to make a sauce. No, what I made was:
KICK-YOU-IN-THE-FACE TOMATILLO STEAK
This is a slightly tangy, slightly spicy,
very sexy dish.
(
The following is for 1 serving. Use math to make more than 1 serving.)
Main Stuff:
2-3 tomatillos, cubed (You can use tomatoes instead, or in addition. It will be less sour.)
1/2 onion, your choice of color, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced (Use more if you don't mind not having friends)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
Thinly-cut steak, preferably pepper steak. Use as much as you want.
Olive oil (Or whatever)
A splash of red wine
Spices/Herbs (All to taste):
Cumin, powdered
Black pepper, ground
Salt
Cayenne or chili pepper (or both), powdered
Cilantro, fresh, chopped
Optional ingredients:
1 hot pepper, sliced (I recommend using a serrano, but it's all up to how spicy you want it.)
Fresh ginger, grated
The juice of 1/2 a lime
Total Cost for 1 serving:
About $2.73
Steps:
1. Simmer the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and tomatillos* in olive oil with a bit of salt until your home smells like a Spanish kitchen. What that means is, let the ingredients get soft and
slightly caramelized. This will happen quickly, so be attentive. This mixture is called a
sofrito. I will talk about it frequently.
*Note: If you're using hot peppers and/or ginger, add them here.
2. Add the spices and steak, cooked or not. If cooked, reduce heat to low and cover. If not cooked, let the steak simmer a few minutes on each side first, then reduce heat to low and cover.
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| It should look like this before you cover it. |
3. Let the mixture simmer for about 10-15*** minutes.
*** VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're making more than one serving, you
will have to let it simmer longer than that. Don't get food poisoning on my account.
4. Walk away. Wait. Do... things. I don't know what you do with your free time.
5. Add the lime juice, if you're using it. Stir, then put that shit on a plate and smash it directly onto your face*.
*Note: Don't actually do that. It will burn.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice or potatoes or something carby, and add a side of steamed veggies for your health. I chose asparagus, and that was... not the best choice. But whatever.
Hopefully, you love it. If not, that's 78% your fault and 22% mine.
Tune in next time for Cooking Tips 1: How to Make Rice, and then tune in again after that for Recipe 2: Something About Rosemary Chicken. Until then.
