I’ve lived through several economic downturns. Maybe you have, too. You may remember the recession in the early ’90s, a financial decline that lasted about a year. It was during that time that culinary guru Jacques Pepin, award-winning cookbook author and PBS star, wrote “Cuisine Economique” (William Morrow, out of print).
His goal with this book was to make food dollars go further without sacrificing taste, to create recipes that could turn penny pinching into a delicious experience. Born in France into a family of restaurateurs, it’s his second nature to be thrifty. World War II broke out in his early childhood and times were challenging. Little goes to waste in his kitchen; trimmings of meat or veggies are used in soups, as well as stocks that often end up in sauces.
I’ve written about Pepin’s frugal recipes before, but here are two new-to-me dishes, as well as my nana’s simple-but-scrumptious bread pudding.
Braised Pork Shoulder Roast with Sweet Potatoes
Pepin wrote that this dish blends cultural influences. “(It is) highly seasoned in the Puerto Rican manner, demonstrates classical French techniques and captures traditional American taste I have learned to love.”
If you are feeding four or less, this savory dish can be stretched to serve at two meals. One option for day two, is to serve the roast in bun-encased sandwiches augmented with cabbage slaw seasoned to be sweet-sour-spicy.
Yield: About 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
One 3-pound boneless pork shoulder roast (sometimes labeled “Boston Butt”)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 4
2 large brown onions
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
Optional: coarse salt
Optional: finely chopped fresh parsley
PROCEDURE
1. Place pork roast in a cast-iron or enamel casserole with a lid (I use my mid-size Le Creuset casserole). Add water, soy sauce, Tabasco, vinegar, honey, and cumin. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer gently, covered, for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch slices. Peel onions and cut each from top to bottom into 6 wedges. After 1 hour on the stove, add garlic, onions, and sweet potatoes to the roast, in that order (some of the potatoes probably won’t be in the cooking liquid, don’t worry). Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring back to boil on high heat on stove top; cover and gently boil on medium heat for 15 minutes.
3. Uncover casserole and place in center of preheated oven for 45 minutes, turning meat in the juices every 15 minutes. At the end of the cooking, the meat should be tender when pierced with a fork, the vegetables should be soft with somewhat concentrated juices in the pan.
4. Taste meat and juices; if needed sprinkle with salt to taste. Carve meat and serve in shallow bowls with the juices and vegetables. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.
Source: Adapted from “Cuisine Economique” by Jacques Pepin (William Morrow, $22)
Jacques Economical Garlic Soup
Oh my, this soup is delicious. It’s not that far off from a leek and potato soup, but that rendition is a creamy mix that includes lots of leeks and cream. This version economizes using fewer leeks and zero cream. Garlic is its earthy backbone.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 medium-large leeks
1/4 cup canola oil, divided use
12 to 15 garlic cloves, peeled, cut into thin slices
6 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed for desired consistency
2 pounds potatoes, Russets or Yukon Golds (whichever is cheapest), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Croutons: Thinly sliced baguette (about half of a long baguette), brushed with remaining canola oil, or see cook’s notes for fried onion garnish option
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cook’s notes: If leeks are too pricey, a combination of green onions and brown onion can be substituted, but Pepin warns that the soup won’t have the same depth of flavor. At my house, for a splurge, rather than bread croutons, just before serving, I sprinkle the top of the soup with fried onions that I buy ready-to-use at Trader Joe’s in an 8-ounce container labeled “Gourmet Fried Onion Piece.” I also use them to garnish rice dishes, baked potatoes, vegetable casseroles, and Asian noodle concoctions.
PROCEDURE
1. Prep leeks: Trim off roots. Using the white and light green portion, cut into 1/2-inch slices; place in bowl of cold water and squish around the slices to remove any dirt. Drain. Pat dry on paper towel. You should have about 2 cups.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven or large pot on medium heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add broth, potatoes, and salt. Bring to boil on high heat. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile make the croutons. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400 degrees. Place baguette slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Brush tops with oil. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and crisp (in my oven this takes about 7 to 8 minutes).
4. When soup is cooked, scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of broth and set it aside. Puree the soup. I. I use an immersion blender (stick blender), but you can puree it in the food processor. Add back enough reserved broth to attain the desired consistency (you can add more if you need to). Stir butter into hot soup. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a couple of croutons (see cook’s notes).
Source: “Cuisine Economique” by Jacques Pepin (William Morrow, $22)
Nana-Style Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
My late grandmother, Belle Oliphant, made bread pudding a couple of times a month. In her generation thrifty home cooks wanted to make good use of day-old (or even older) bread. The bread soaks in a sweet custard mixture and is baked until set and crusty golden brown on top. Nana’s concoction had plenty of custard, enough so that a thick layer of it rested around and beneath the bread.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
6 crust-on thick slices day-old bread, broken or cut into pieces about 1-inches long
2 tablespoons melted butter
Optional: 1/3 cup raisins, currants, or dried cranberries
4 large eggs, beaten
4 cups milk, whole or 2 percent
3/4 cup sugar, or a little less
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a shallow 2-quart casserole or 2-quart roasting pan (I use an oval ceramic gratin dish that holds 2 quarts and is 13 1/2-inches long), scatter bread pieces. Drizzle with melted butter and, if using, scatter raisins on top.
3. In a bowl, add eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well combined and gently pour over bread. Use a spoon or fork to submerge bread. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until when poked, the middle springs back. If you would like to have a browner, crustier top, move oven rack and place it 8 inches below broiler. Turn oven light on and broil until browned (you need to monitor this closely, because it can burn quickly).
Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com
