Food that is ok in tins

[k'in]

Sure.  But most prefer to eat their priests deep-fried with a side order of chips on Friday.  Canned priest comes in handy for sandwiches and "surprise" style casseroles...

[gunnar gunnarson]

Again with the trayfe.  Why do I even ask?

[lagatta]

But tinned priest is only treif if it includes the hindquarters, or if the flesh was torn.

However, it is not the most standard Sukkot fare. Happy Sukkot!  (I'm a diehard atheist, but I'll celebrate anything as long as I don't have to fast...).

[k'in]

sorry-I meant to say that most "Catholics" prefer their priests deep fried on Fridays.  In that case, it's more about the texture I suppose and unidentifiable "jazz-fish" will do in a pinch.  It's possible for "priest-in-a-tin" to be non-traife, no?

[lagatta]

Most authorities don't consider human flesh to be kosher, but there seems to be quite a bit of discussion about this issue!
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=671778

I'm making chicken sofrito - a Spanish name but in this case a Sephardic recipe - though Muslims and Christians in the Middle East use the same basic technique - cooking a chicken or some other unfortunate critter in a small amount of olive oil and lemon or other citrus, with spices such as cardomom, or saffron if you are feeling flush. Stewed at a low heat for quite a while (though I have a rather small chicken so it should be done in an hour or two)... One of those recipes one can do while working at the other end of the house.

[Mandos]

Lagatta, that's amazing.  Thank you.

[lagatta]

The debate on human flesh or the chicken sofrito?

Obviously the flesh debate is simply academic except as relates to the commandment to disobey religious law to save a human life. Doesn't something similar exist in Islam - thinking (foggy memory) of the travellers' sura?

As for the sofrito, a Moroccan friend (of Arab-Muslim background, though not religious) also makes it with paprika.

[Nikita]

I really like most tinned beans, except lima beans.  Definintely not a fan of lima beans.  Canned tomatoes are good too, nice with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  I saw canned potatoes the other day, and unless I was stocking a bomb shelter I don't think I'll be trying those any time soon.

I have a recipe I "invented" when I was rilly poor.  I don't know if it would qualify as stew or chili, but it hits the spot when you're hungry and I think it's pretty healthy.  :)

Dump one can of each of the following into a large pot:
black beans
kidney beans
pinto beans
chickpeas
corn
crushed tomatoes (one large or two medium)
lentils
Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, 1 teaspoons of each: dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, mustard powder, and garlic powder (or fresh), one or two bay leaves, 1/2 cup beef stock (if you like a bit of meat taste), and two cooled and cubed baked potatoes.  You can salt if you like, but I have never added salt.  This makes a lot of stew/chili, and it freezes well and goes a long way.

[deBeauxOs]

Skim evaporated milk.  I always keep a tin handy in the pantry.  I have one in the refrigerator at the moment that I am using up as I make chai.  A friend who lived in Ladakh for a few months gave me this recipe.  

Boil two-three cups of water in a pot (I use stainless steel, ceramic-clad iron such Le Creuset would be fine too).  Throw in a few slices of fresh ginger, slivered (or candied with the sugar scraped off). Take 4-5 pods of cardamon and crush in a pestle, add to hot simmering water.  At this point, you may add other spices to your taste - nutmeg and cinnamon, for example - then some loose black tea.  (I use two bags of Celestial Seasoning's Bengal Tiger and one Constant Comment Decaf bag.)  Let it steep, add 1 quarter to half a cup of evaporated milk, warm it up and serve.  My friend says that evaporated milk tastes a bit like the (non-dairy) milk available in Ladakh thus most expats use it as a substitute when the real thing is not available.

[Nikita]

That sounds delicious deBeauxOs!  I bought a box of "Chai tea" bags (holy redundancy Batman!) a while ago and was bitterly disappointed.  It was very, very bland.

[skdadl]

When tomatoes are not in season, then the tinned Italian (plum) tomatoes are absolutely the best to cook with -- but then tomatoes are not, I think, technically a vegetable.

Beans do well in tins and are ideal that way in some recipes, although if you want a falafel that hangs together, tinned chick peas will be too mushy.

Nikita, that looks like a great invention to me. I will bring you a cornbread or polenta recipe to serve with it tomorrow.

[deBeauxOs]

The fresh ginger really makes a difference, even a not-so-juicy piece left over in the fridge and forgotten from your last stir-fry.  Crushing the cardamon - I got that from listening to an interview with Deepa Mehta - she cracks the pods with her teeth, I would rather not.   :shock:

Ooops, I forgot a step - what with all that yummy stuff floating around in the tea, you may want to strain it as you're pouring it into cups or mugs.   :wink:

[lagatta]

I bought a HUGE tin of artichokes, as someone convinced me it is good for arthritis. Oh well, it can't hurt (they have been transferred into two glass refrigerator storage containers).

[Croghan27]

I bought a HUGE tin of artichokes.

Not long ago we had a bit of a thread on John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids. About that time, no doubt to cash in on the idea, I recall a book that replaced the 'triffids' with artichokes.

lagatta, please, please do not sleep in the same room as the open tin.  :shock: And if your little kitty does the missing thing, listen for the sound of artichokes burping.

[lagatta]

I don't keep them in the tin - they are safely esconced in glass refrigerator storage containers - who knew they were cannibalistic plants?

Managed to get down an omelette made with some of them and one egg - just sort of holding together. And three apricots. I wasn't hungry at all, but if I'm to go cycling, had to have some solid food in my tummy.