recipe swap :)

Just had a bowl of a nice garlic soup that was super easy to make (riffing on Jacques Pepin's recipe):

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 onions (or two good-sized leeks), chopped
18 cloves garlic
8 cups of chicken stock
a little salt and pepper


Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Add the cubed potatoes. Add the chicken stock. Cook for about 45 minutes, then puree. Serve with herbed croutons.  It's really very hearty and very inexpensive to make - nice for a dreary cold day.  I think I'll add some crumbled bacon rashers to some of it for the next go-round, to see how that works out. Or maybe a bit of smoked ham. Or some strong cheese.

And one more. Beef Jerky.

2/3 cup Worcestershire (sp?) sauce
2/3 cup soy  sauce
1 teaspoon smoke flavor (we like Stubb's Mesquite)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons powdered garlic
(optional  1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - we don't, but the original recipe has 'em)
One to two pounds very lean beef roast, sliced with the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Trim off any fat - fat will go rancid quickly even after being dried.

Marinate the beef in the combination of the above for at least 4 hours. I put as much beef in as will be covered by the marinade, and put it in the fridge to soak. Be sure to turn the beef at least once, so all the pieces get a good soaking.

In dehydrator (or convection oven) at 165F - lay beef flat on a rack and cook for at least 1/2 hour. Then drop the temp to 145F and cook for a minimum of four to six more hours, or until beef is dry but still a little pliable.  Let cool, then place in an air-tight container wrapped in paper towels.  It's supposed to last for several weeks, but ours usually only makes it a couple of days before it's all eaten.

Enjoy.