Janine Farzin

Chicken Liver Pâté (or Mousse) with Sausage Seasonings

June 26, 2018 By Janine Farzin 4 Comments

Necessity is the mother of invention. I was looking for a way to use up a nine pound bag of chicken giblets from one of my grass-fed farmers. But, you have to be quick with all those chicken hearts and livers, lest the bacteria get to them first!

In the animal kingdom, most species will hunt out the most nutrient-dense offerings and preferentially eat those first. Traditional peoples knew this. Predators know this. Even hunters and butchers know that innards must be processed and chilled first.

And that is exactly why livers will ‘spoil’ so quickly. It’s just that some other little species (if not your dog or cat given the opportunity) has gotten there first. Just trim off any dark liver spots and carry on as usual….

Ceviche 3 ways, easy raw meat appetizers for the start of summer

June 18, 2018 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

Mexican-Styled Ceviche

Ceviche is another easy, delicious, and familiar ‘raw meat’ appetizer. Make a simple marinade, then use tomato juice, coconut milk or fresh fruit to make a final dish.

You could argue that the meat is ‘cooked’ by the acid in the lime (or lemon) juice marinade. It’s certainly ‘predigested,’ improving absorption of available nutrients. However, in it’s unheated form, beneficial enzymes remain in tact, along with heat-sensitive B and C vitamins.

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Blood Meatloaf with Porcini Mushrooms (and Beef, Pork, and Liver)

June 10, 2018 By Janine Farzin 2 Comments

Folding blood into meatloaf

Last night I went to McCullough‘s for a class on aspic and working with blood. But they only sell blood by the gallon, and we needed a scant 1/4 cup for the terrine we were making. It seemed the rest was going unused, so I asked if I could take some home. You know, just for fun.

Among the gems I learned there: blood is a great binder for meat and, in this case, a great substitute for eggs. I happened to be making porcini meatloaf today anyway, was short on eggs, and had a quart of blood in my fridge… why not give it a try!? Blood Meatloaf with Porcini Mushrooms for dinner….

Broiled tongue with anchovy butter, a perfect touch of salt

May 14, 2018 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

After a paralyzing moment, when I worried that this dish (and my own tongue) may be a bit too salty, melting butter, crispy breadcrumbs, and intentional appreciations save the day.

Savory. Rich and heavenly. And crunchy on top. Mmmm. Broiled Tongue with Anchovy Butter: “this is good.”

A little salty tongue

I feel like I’ve barely been treading water the past few weeks and was so looking forward to a little break on Mother’s Day yesterday. Earlier in the week, Carrie reminded me to speak up. There is no mind reading going on and I need to ask for what I want. Dutifully, on my behalf, I sent a note to my dear husband saying I wanted to be off the hook on Sunday….

Kidney kebab, delicious insurance against migraines

April 30, 2018 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

Sumac, thyme and grated lim zest base for marinade

After three snowfalls in April, it looks like grilling season has finally arrived here in Chicago. This recipe for kidney kebabs can be made with other organs as well. The marinade/sauce is delightful if you like sour – sumac and lime!

Kidneys get a bad rap, but they really shouldn’t. Well, it does have an offal flavor to it. And I once heard Brad Farmerie mention that no one wants to order it in his restaurant.

And yes, it can have a strong odor when cooking. Alas, a perfect candidate for the grill! …

Sweetbread fritters with pesto, a lovely appetizer

April 22, 2018 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

My husband warned me when I started this blog project that having something to say would be the hardest part. And he’s right.

Meanwhile, the recipe drafts stack up week after week. Even when I don’t get to my computer or, despite all my talking, have nothing to say, I still cook for my family. And week in and week out, offal is on the menu.

I want to keep sharing those recipes, my own sort of record of our meals. Ideas I’ve searched for far and wide, all in one place, as a resource. And so all I can offer is where I am at today: recently my friend’s beloved mom died unexpectedly and it’s been weighing on my mind.

Sweetbreads fritters

And so this past week was a bit like iron chef in our home. Me in a daze, going through the motions. I defrosted sweetbreads with no intention of what I’d do with them. Yet, after a day or two, I was on the hook to figure it out….

Kidney tacos to satiate all kinds of hunger

April 9, 2018 By Janine Farzin 3 Comments

Kidney tacos put a new spin on one of our favorite foods. It’s a nourishing meal to satiate the smallest and largest appetites in your family.

This recipe is inspired by ‘Uncle’ Travis and his taco obsession in grad school. When his baggie of HEB taco seasoning spices (lovingly imported from Austin to Cambridge) ran out, he had to make do on his own. And there we were, guessing the proportions of spices to make it right….

Portuguese-Style Tongue in Paprika Sauce and cleaning your plate

March 27, 2018 By Janine Farzin 1 Comment

This dish is nourishing and warm in a way that encourages you to stay at the table a little longer. Beyond the Portuguese spices though, I confess that what really settles me is the way my plate looks after I have finished my meal. Sounds crazy, but completely true. Anyway, my grandmother would insist that you clean your plate.

Traditional spices and fats after you clean your plate

Notice those little golden red-stained blemishes of goodness (ie. grease!) around the edges of the dish. Left behind, this is evidence of a hearty meal with enough fat to satiate, doused in paprika. And this reminds me of many meals at my grandparents home while I was growing up….

A Healthy Thyroid with Liver and Vegetable Stir-Fry over Rice

March 12, 2018 By Janine Farzin 2 Comments

The more I learn about the human body, the more awe and wonder I have. And we depend on a healthy relationship with the natural world around us. The minerals are right there, on the periodic table of elements, and they are essential for life!

I recently watched a series of lectures by Rhonda Nelson, PhD about thyroid health and I learned so much. The lectures are summarized in this article, but one of the main take-aways was ensuring that you have enough iodine in your diet for healthy thyroid function.

Of course, it’s not just iodine, we also need selenium, iron, zinc, B6, B2, vitamin A… but iodine is the big one. While seafoods are your best bet, this is an organ meat blog (and I don’t have any fresh fish livers on hand), so stick with me here. We’ll adapt Liver and Vegetable Stir-Fry over Rice to give us a rich serving of the minerals we need for a healthy thyroid. …

Benefits of Allicin in Indian-style Liver with Onions and Garlic

March 6, 2018 By Janine Farzin 6 Comments

We recently had a skin infection on two of my munchkins that responded well to a compound within garlic called allicin. Since then, I confess that I’ve been on a bit of a garlic craze! Allicin is responsible for the antimicrobial benefits of garlic. We’ll choose, store and prepare garlic to maximize allicin production and it’s myriad benefits.

I love this recipe for Indian-style liver and onions and indeed it does benefit from the addition of just a bit more garlic. I’ve adapted it from a recipe I found years ago in At Home with Madhur Jaffrey.

Beneficial properties of garlic

The compound allicin is responsible for a wide range of anti-microbial benefits in garlic. It has been shown to be antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral and even anticancer….

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