Janine Farzin

Seared Beef Heart, and formation of the National School Lunch Program

October 4, 2019 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

This week I finished Eating to Learn, Learning to Eat – about the origins and history behind the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Disclaimer: I’ve spent the last year in a collaborative effort to bring back a scratch-cooking kitchen at our school. Meanwhile, learning this history seared my own heart a bit. After seeing the painful evidence that we’d been through all this before (ie. school lunches as a remedy to widespread nutrient deficiencies), I was a bit raw inside. Yet for Seared Beef Heart, leaving it largely raw in the middle is also the secret to its tenderness….

Chicken Liver Enchiladas and Being Steady

September 27, 2019 By Janine Farzin 2 Comments

Serving of Chicken Liver Enchiladas

I’m committed to serving organ meats weekly in our home. It’s become a steady part of our rhythm that has familiarity and comfort. This week, let Chicken Liver Enchiladas inspire you to put liver on your table.

In the Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck pauses to explain the steadiness of Ma. “She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook…” I’ve learned, through motherhood, that my own steadiness defines the world around me. Both in how I see the world, and how steady action compounds over time.

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Buttered Lamb Kidneys with Greek Lentil Salad

September 21, 2019 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

Buttered Lamb Kidneys with Greek Lentil Salad served warm

As far as legumes go, properly prepared lentils are relatively mineral-rich and easily-digested. Moreover, vitamins A and D in animal fats help mitigate some of the anti-nutrients found in legumes or other whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Buttered Lamb Kidneys with Greek Lentil Salad is a cozy pairing that celebrates and elevates each of these humble ingredients….

Doughnuts Smothered in Liver Paste inspired by Fantastic Mr. Fox

September 13, 2019 By Janine Farzin 2 Comments

Every time I’ve read Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl to the kids, I keep thinking that I should recreate Doughnuts Smothered in Liver Paste. To be fair, doughnuts aren’t really my style. But my husband, a serious sourdough baker, was happy to help. And the kids ended up taking one for the team.

Contrary to what we learned growing up, the livers and saturated fat give us plenty to love: a wide variety of vitamins including the fat-soluble vitamins, and improved regulation of hormones and mental health. The doughnuts, not so much. Except that everyone does.

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Savory Mushroom Bolognese with Ground Organs

September 6, 2019 By Janine Farzin 7 Comments

I didn’t start with a strategy of hiding organ meats. Once I learned about the importance of including them in a diverse and nourishing diet, I served them front and center, without apology. Regardless, we incorporate them into all sort of foods now. Sometimes ingredients come up and sometimes they don’t. Whether you do intend to reveal your (secret) ingredients or not, Savory Mushroom Bolognese with Ground Organs is a great place to start!

So what is so important about organ meats? …

Interconnectedness and Gratitude: Simple Carnitas with Heart

September 1, 2019 By Janine Farzin 1 Comment

Platter of Carnitas with Heart and a plate of butterleaf lettuce tacos with Carnitas

This past spring, I bought a half pig from a local farm. My friend McCullough helped me break it down into cuts for my family. Since then, we’ve eaten our way through the chest freezer and only a single heart remained from that little pig. In gratitude to all that made this possible, I made Carnitas with Heart as the last dish from that slaughter.

For weeks I had been wondering, ‘What could I do with that last heart?’ Heart needs to be prepared rare, or slow and low. I didn’t want to go rare with the pork heart, so knew I needed to go slow and low to break down all the connective tissue. Yet, I wanted to add a bit more to the meal. So I picked another one of our favorite pork dishes, added the heart, and prepared it all together. It worked well….

Easy Seared Tongue – A Perfect Keto Carnivore Meal

August 22, 2019 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

Keto Carnivore Seared Tongue with Canoe-Cut Marrow Bone

Two weeks ago I heard the keto carnivore argument that ribeye is the perfect food. Even though I’ve known about all the pieces of this equation – something clicked in me. Suddenly, it became clear that Justin Nault was right. Yet, while we love indulging in steak around here, I confess that I have a trump card in my back pocket. Let Seared Tongue replace your pricey ribeye tonight.

I’ve mentioned that tongue reminds me of Waygu beef, but I now see even more pleasure in that analogy than I had before. Yes, if ribeye is the perfect food; then so is tongue….

Kidneys with Hazelnut Butter Sauce, Terroir, and Native Species

August 16, 2019 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

Kidneys with Hazelnut Butter Sauce

This post is a continuation from last week, when I encouraged readers to choose pastured, grass-finished animals. And includes a recipe for Kidneys with Hazelnut Butter Sauce. It’s a simple recipe – the crispy, buttery nuts pair well with the fleshy kidneys. Yet, while I served these this week, the Kidneys with Hazelnut Butter are almost an afterthought compared to my musings.

I mention the importance of pastured, grass-fed, grass-finished meats often. It’s important for pursuing nutrient-density, improving store-bought pork rinds, purchasing brains, or eating raw meats such as carpaccio, heart tartare, or ground beef.

That said, I want to encourage you to continue to maintain a dialogue with your farmers. Yes, even the ones, or especially the ones, that really are doing everything right….

Grass-fed brains for Empanadas con Sesos (Brain Empanadas)

August 7, 2019 By Janine Farzin 2 Comments

Brain empanadas with chile-herb-brain filling and a wedge of lime

Crispy fried dough gives way to tender brains, super flavorful with chile and herbs. Brain Empanadas are a great vehicle for getting this cholesterol-rich superfood into your family.

Brains are having a revival, but quality matters and it’s up to us to know our farmers, ask our butcher and chefs about their sourcing, and procure grass-fed meats and organs.

Yes, the USDA intends to regulate beef brains to ensure quality – but quality goes much deeper than USDA guidelines. Insist on feeding your family pastured meats. All of our ruminants should be grass-fed, grass-finished to respect the animal, benefit the land and improve our health….

Simple Raw Meatballs and a great food-based source of vitamin B6

June 27, 2019 By Janine Farzin Leave a Comment

How to be creative with simple raw meatballs

An idea like Raw Meatballs hardly deserves a recipe of its own. Yet, after May shared it with me, I thought it was so easy and sweet, I adopted it. And after I shared it with Claudia, she was eager to do the same. So why not share with you too? May’s gift to all of us! (Thank you, May!)

When I started this blog, I felt passionate about including raw meats. Like offal, they are underappreciated in our culture, yet nutrient-dense in special ways. Yet when I set up the menus for this site, I didn’t include them. I was uncertain about continuing to post them since I hardly make time for all the organ meat recipes….

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