Contributed by:
Holly Hunt
(rhythempoets.wordpress.com)
Fantasy, sci-fi and horror
Story behind the recipe – As a poor university kid working full time to pay for studying, there was only a small amount of things I could afford to buy with my pittance of earnings – and, seeming as I was working as a butcher in the middle of a marketplace, the only things I could get for cheap or free were veggies and off-cuts of meat. On my day off, I'd cook up a big batch of this stuff and freeze it. Voila, meals for the next three weeks.
What you’ll need – Based on my best-tasting batch, you'll need:
- About 4lb of lamb forequarter chops
- 1 onion, 1 parsnip, 1/2 bulb garlic to taste, 1 tablespoon of your favorite blend of dried herbs
- 3 sticks of celery, 1 bell pepper, any color and 4 button mushrooms
- 2 carrots, 2 potatoes, 1 medium sweet potato and 1/2 cabbage
- 8 large, ripe tomatoes, 1 head broccoli and 1/2 head cauliflower
- 1 cup peas, 2 cups snow peas, and 2 cups beans
Steps to the process
- Cut meat into workable pieces (1" by 1" is normal, the meat reduces down on cooking).
- Pull out any bones, trim the bigger chunks of fat. Brown meat in the bottom of a large pot.
- While meat browns, peel/dice/shred ingredients, mix with meat as you go.
- Add in water until covering ¾ of the vegetables. Add herbs and stir through.
- Cook on high until water boils, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to lowest setting and leave to simmer for 6-10 hours, depending on how tender you
want your meat and how much water remains in the pot. Stir when you remember.
- To reheat, use the stove rather than the microwave – it heats it more thoroughly.
Comments – The recipe can be adapted to your tastes. Swap water for stock that compliments your choice of meat for a stronger flavor. Adapt your vegetables to your choice of available or cheaper vegetables. Use the bones from lamb or some beef soup bones to make stock for stew, for less waste. Use different meats depending on your tastes. Beef chuck steak or pork shoulder can make excellent substitutes for the lamb. You can serve hot or cold.
Blurb from THE DEVIL'S WIFE – “Sit down and open your mind. Everyone knows ‘Devil’ means ‘Darkness’ and ‘God’ means ‘Light’. “But history is always written by the winning side.” Lucifer Morningstar is a law-abiding, upstanding gentleman of New York City. Lucifer Morningstar is the Devil. The owner of powerful magic, Lucifer could have the world at his feet, if not for his apathy and loneliness. Deprived of the ability to understand the emotions of others and his power depleted, Lucifer is no longer able to help even his houseplants. But there’s a problem with God’s plan to eliminate the Devil forever: Lucifer is fighting Her more than he ever did. He’s found a reason to survive, someone to stand by him through the rough and smooth of his life. He’s found a new wife.