Foraging for Food

Growing up in northern Wisconsin, I was blessed to live in a heavily wooded neighborhood where almost everyone’s backyard lawn gave way to a forest of birch, maple and pine trees. As children, my sisters, our friends, and I spent almost every waking moment in our tree-filled playground, pretending to be pioneers, Native Americans, or explorers as we blazed a maze of trails that led to grassy clearings and creeks.

In the summer, we ignored the mosquitoes and wood ticks and set up camp under the huge branches of pine trees. In the winter, we ignored the bitter cold and built forts of packed snow.

And, of course, we had to forage for food.

Ferns leaves were placemats, sticks were forks and spoons, and pieces of birch bark were plates. Sometimes we just played at eating meals of crushed leaves and dirt, but other times we actually ate things we found, such as wild strawberries and blueberries and, occasionally, crushed acorns (which, by the way, do NOT taste like peanuts). In the winter, snow stood in for everything from porridge, which just sounded like pioneer food, to, no surprise, ice cream.

This idea of living close to nature captured my imagination and still does, but, as with many things, it was only the idea, not the reality, that I could ultimately embrace. Today, I do not live off the land in any way, shape, or form. I do not camp, and I gave up growing vegetables long ago. My main excuse is that life in southern Louisiana is just too darn hot, especially for a “recovering” Yankee like me.

But Louisiana weather does give me opportunities to rough it quite a bit from time to time. These “opportunities” are called hurricanes.

Most recently, Hurricane Gustav left us without power for twelve days, and while this was really just a minor convenience compared to the serious damage many people suffered, it did force us to think INSIDE the box (and can and package) when it came to preparing meals.

For several days after a major hurricane, buying food is difficult. First, the branches and debris need to be cleared before you can even get your car out of your driveway. Then, if you can navigate past the fallen trees and downed power lines in the road to the grocery store, chances are you will face long lines and empty shelves, especially if you need fresh bread, milk, or produce. And forget about restaurants. They don’t have power or supplies either.

However, with a generator-powered refrigerator, a gas-powered stove, a charcoal grill, and, above all, a full pantry, we eat pretty well. Here are some recipes that allow me to make do with ingredients I usually have on hand.

Hurry-Can Salad

Source: original recipe (if what follows can be considered a recipe)

Yield: about 4 cups


Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can corn, drained
1 15-oz. can Rotel-brand tomatoes (original or mild), undrained

Process:

Combine ingredients in a bowl. (Yeah, that’s it.)

Serving suggestions:

You could season to taste (but the tomatoes are pretty perfect as is) or add diced vegetables you have on hand (celery, carrots). As is, this could work as a good salsa, or you could add some cooked rice to make it a more substantial side dish. I would suggest adding a can or two of chicken broth and leftover rice or cooked chicken to make this a soup, but hurricane season is NOT the time for a hot soup.

Orzo with Everything

This a fantastic side dish that can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature.

Source: Bon Appétit, June 1998

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. orzo (rice-shaped pasta; about 10 ounces)
1/3 c. (packed) chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
5 T. extra-virgin olive oil (I used less)
¼ c. balsamic vinegar (I used more)
¼ c. (packed) chopped Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
1 c. finely chopped radicchio, about 1 small head (I omitted this)
½ c. pine nuts, toasted
½ c. cup chopped fresh basil
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Preparation:

Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add sun-dried tomatoes, oil, vinegar and olives and toss to blend. Let stand until cool. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Mix chopped radicchio, pine nuts, chopped basil, Parmesan and garlic into orzo mixture. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Death by Pasta

This is a pretty decadent dish, but if you make it through a hurricane, you deserve it!

Source: original recipe

Yield: serves four

Ingredients:

8 oz. dried penne pasta
5 slices bacon, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional or canned)
¼ tsp. salt
¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ c. chopped, drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. heavy cream or half-and-half
½ c. Parmesan cheese

Process:

Cook the penne pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling water. Drain pasta, reserving the pasta water. Meanwhile, sauté the bacon in a large sauce pan until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. To the bacon fat in the pan, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender. Add the seasoning, sun-dried tomatoes, peas, cream and about ½ c. of the pasta water. Cook the sauce over low heat until slightly thickened, thinning if necessary with additional pasta water. Stir in the cheese until it melts in the sauce. Check seasoning. Toss the penne with the sauce.