I’m in cooking withdrawal.
Over the past couple months, we’ve been in various stages of moving, and my pots and pans still haven’t surfaced. But during the process, I made one purchase that made it all OK…my enameled cast-iron pot by Lodge.
It’s awfully similar (actually, identical) to the Le Creuset version that’s about $200. I paid $35 for this at Walmart. And I’ve used it for everything from making soup (see below) to boiling pasta and making grilled cheese.
I win.
Last night, I made a killer white bean and kale soup in said vessel. I took some fun photos of the process, so here you go, dear reader. And remember…salt pork makes everything better.
- First, I cut the rind off some salt pork and cubed it, then placed it in the pre-heated pot.
- The salt pork begins to render, or melt the fat. No need for other oils.
- The salt pork is finally rendered, with all the fat liquified and the meat crisp. I then pulled out the meat with a slotted spoon and left the fat.
- Next, I added half a diced onion to the fat and cooked it until nearly clear.
- Next, I added half a diced onion to the fat and cooked it until nearly clear.
- My haphazard mise en place (my prep bowls are still packed!).
- My haphazard mise en place (my prep bowls are still packed!).
- Added the diced orange bell pepper and celery to the cooked onion. Garlic went in a bit later as not to burn it.
- After cooking down the other veg, I added some washed and chopped kale. Yummy, seasonal and nutritious! Looks like it fills the entire bowl but it cooks way down.
- After cooking down the kale, I rinsed 3 cans of cannellini (Italian white kidney) beans and stirred them in to soak up some porky goodness.
- Closeup of the veggie/kale/bean goodness.
- Closeup of the veggie/kale/bean goodness.
- I had the stock (homemade from previous night’s roasted rosemary chicken) simmering in an adjacent pot (the only other one I can find). I ladled it into the mixture until the proportions looked right.
- I had the stock (homemade from previous night’s roasted rosemary chicken) simmering in an adjacent pot (the only other one I can find). I ladled it into the mixture until the proportions looked right.
- Final soupy goodness! (Well, minus the pork bits I forgot to photo, stirred back in later.) Yommmm…….