Plenty
This was today's store catch:
I couldn't resist the opportunity to get nine big, juicy drumsticks for $6. It's not really good meat and I don't endorse it in theory, but it's what I did in practice. I figure I won't be so cheap forever; the acute macronutrient picture in the short term, for now, outweighs the micronutrient (and micropoison) picture in the long term. For now.
Having so much food around is a great psychological boost. I can't imagine I will eat all the onions or all those potatoes in one week, which means I could run a decent surplus.
I have talked with real people and with ChatGPT a lot about Eastern European peasant food. I am substantially Eastern European, so I figured it may mesh with my genetics well. Chat was telling me about buckwheat, which isn't wheat (or a buck), or even a grain (it's a "pseudocereal", a word I'm much the better for having learned). Apparently it was always a staple of Polish peasant fare; it's one of the few plants that provides complete protein and is known for keeping you relatively energetic and full for a long time compared to wheat or rice. I had no idea where to find it, though, besides in a precious little Bob's Red Mill bag in Whole Foods, for $18/lbs (ha), but then I ran into it in the Indian grocery store this evening when I was there to get lentils, because weirdly, I was actually kind of craving lentils again. The label said "kuttu", not buckwheat, but it caught my eye after so much internet research, and indeed, in tiny print lower down, it did say "cracked buckwheat groats". It was $5 for 2lbs; not free but also not unreasonable for something that supposedly feeds you more than the equivalent measure of rice would. So my adventure in Polish peasanthood may begin.
But not before lentils. I really wanted the hot, garlicky lentils I had been making several weeks ago. So I made them, though this time, I also had tomatoes and cilantro, so it wound up being the prettiest bowl of lentils I ever did make.
I don't think my oven works, but I wanted a drumstick, so I threw it in the buttered pan when it was done cooking onions and garlic for the lentils. I watched it quickly brown on the outside and then realized just how impossible it was going to be to get the inside to cook in a pan. I spalshed some water in the pan and put on the lid (which is actually for the saucepot, but it juuust fits), hoped "steaming drumsticks on the stovetop" was a thing, and then ran to internet asking "Can I cook a drumstick on the stovetop?" The verdict was yes, absolutely, just sear it and then put a little water in the pan and put the lid on, steaming it... I would be lying if I said I didn't feel just brilliant.
The drumstick was okay.
Like we covered, it's probably not a very good drumstick to begin with, but by the time it was done (and it did get totally done!) it was a little soggy, and not crispy. There was a lot, culinarily, left to be desired in its cooking. I did make a sort of pan sauce, deglazing with Shaoxing wine, adding butter and salt, and stirring in some sour cream. It was delicious enough to lick off the plate. Live and learn!