leftovers – The Civilized Lunch Project

Second-Helping Green Beans

People often ask me why I mow my lawn with a push-mower. One of the reasons I offer (aside from the fact that it’s not annoying like the sound and smell of a gas-mower), is that I work up a serious appetite using the thing — and I often come up with some fun meal ideas. Today was no exception. I had a big bag of green beans that needed to be used, and my preferred method for cooking those is always in a wok with peanut oil and a heavy dose of minced garlic. What I was less certain about was what was going to accompany them.

After pushing the mower to and fro for almost an hour, brown rice sounded pretty fantastic. I recently spied a shoyu-vinegar sauce in Bryant Terry’s Vegetable Kingdom, so I decided to try that as a drizzle over the top. The sauce is simple, simple: equal parts shoyu and rice wine vinegar with a dash of sesame oil, some hot chili flakes and brown sugar to taste.

It’s crazy how something with so few ingredients can add so much punch to steamed rice and stir-fried beans. I mean wowza! It’s the kind of sauce that one could develop a serious craving for in no time flat. And I did, in fact, have two heaping helpings of this meal, largely because the sauce just sparks some kind of elation. I was eating my meal alone, but despite experiencing this taste sensation solo, I wanted to shout out: “Damn, this is good.” So, I did because why not?

Usually when I cook, I’ll incorporate leftovers from a previous meal. Today, I tossed in a bit of the next-level tofu that I’d made a few days back. I didn’t have enough to really impact the flavor of the beans, and honestly that’s probably for the best given the spicy jerk profile. But I did feel virtuous for using up the last scrap of that dish without it going to waste.

Green beans and brown rice with a shoyu-vinegar sauce is a solid, low-cost, healthy meal that makes a great main or a satisfying side. As I write, I’m still thinking about ways that I’ll use the remainder tomorrow. The first thing that comes to mind is to serve it with some beautiful portobello mushrooms pan fried alongside a cornmeal hush puppy or two.

Fried Not-So-Green Tomatoes + Smoked Shoyu

Vegetables

My absolute favorite thing on a leisurely Sunday morning is to challenge myself to use up vegetables and other items that have lingered too long on my counter or in the crisper drawer. This feels especially fun if the cooking is impromptu, from-the-hip, and possibly inspired by something I’ve read about or seen, but never tried. Today’s experiments include frying up a big beautiful tomato that I bought nearly three weeks ago at the Soulard Market shortly after moving to St. Louis.

When I bought the tomato it was vivid green. Seeing it in the market stall, my mind immediately flashed to Fanny Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. I’d never made fried green tomatoes, nor read the book, but I vowed to do both. In classic fashion, time slipped away. The book sits unread, and the tomato eventually turned red. Happily, it remained firm. So, today was the day that it finally found its way to the frying pan.

How to Cook Fried Green (Or Not-So-Green) Tomatoes

2-3 Green Tomatoes
2 beaten eggs
1C Panko (Bread Crumbs)
1/8C Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Smoked Shoyu

Coat a cast iron skillet with a thin layer of olive oil. As I was prepping my tomatoes, I heated the oiled skillet on a medium flame. (While many recipes recommend as much as a 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, I found that much less gave me a good result.)

Cut the tomatoes in thick slices, dredge in egg, and coat in breadcrumbs. Place gently in the hot oil and cook for about two minutes on each side, or until a crispy crust forms. Add black pepper to taste. (Since I’m serving these with smoked shoyu, which is salty, I’m holding off on additional salt.)

Serve with a scoop of cottage cheese, some chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, and a dash of smoked shoyu. The Japanese oak used to craft this soy sauce lends a robust, umami-rich smoked flavor.

My first thought when I took a bite of the hot, crunchy tomato with a forkful of the creamy, full-fat cottage cheese (infused with umami goodness) was that it was strangely reminiscent of the flavor of a bacon-heavy BLT. Since I no longer eat meat, unless I’m a guest at someone’s home, I haven’t made a BLT in a few years. But, the memory is fresh in my mind. The crispy breaded tomatoes with shoyu, which so powerfully conjured bacon, was surprising, and incredibly delicious.

After finishing my lunch, I decided to research other fried green tomato recipes. Most seemed to coat their tomato slices in flour, then egg, followed by a mix of cornmeal and flour. I’ll try that method next time, but was very happy using Panko. I decided on a side of cottage cheese because I’ve been looking for ways to get more protein in every meal, and a half-scoop has 11 grams.

Easy, quick, and yummy, this is a treat that I predict will be on constant repeat in my kitchen. Maybe next time I’ll even try it before the tomatoes change color.

That’s Fresh

Grains

Today’s lunch was simple, but satisfying. And, per usual—a spontaneous repurposing of leftovers. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: farro is fantastic. I always make it in big batches since it takes forever to cook and it keeps really well for at least a couple of weeks.

It gets a little dry hanging out in the fridge, so when I reheat a bowl’s worth in a little saucepan, I perk it up with a quarter cup of bone broth on high heat. The liquid gets absorbed quickly, and it tastes great.

I had some leftover green beans, too. I quickly pan-fried them in some spicy oil and tossed them in with the farro. Topped off with a generous handful of parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice, plus salt and pepper. Boom! A totally fresh taste from some not-super-fresh leftovers.

It’s a good thing that I (sort of) enjoy the challenge of sprucing up days-old food because I’ve been too tired and too busy with work to leave my house for quite awhile. I mean, I’ve stepped outside to take out the garbage and gather the mail, but I’m not sure that counts! Living in the country as I do, going to the grocery story is a pretty major journey. So in busy times, I tend to put it off.

While I have more than enough food to last me for a good long time, I’m definitely running low on some of my favorite pantry items and I used the last of my fresh produce tonight when I made roasted carrots and baked potatoes. (Spoiler alert: You’ll see them featured in tomorrow’s lunch.)

I cannot wait to make a trip to the produce stand, and if the stars are truly aligned, to one of my favorite local area farms. Roasted fresh vegetables are just the best, and in my view, unsurpassed in their simplicity and deliciousness. So I’ll look forward to having a new supply soon. In the meantime, my leftovers are pretty darn good.