I have not posted on the Pastor’s Palate blog for quite a while – in fact, not for most of our pandemic time. It seemed, even though I was working at home in New Jersey, that there was more to do than there ever had been before, and, outside of my responsibilities as a parish pastor, I just didn’t have any time to spare. One thing led to another, and now where do I find myself?

Well, a lot has happened. I am no longer a pastor in New Jersey, I am now a pastor in northern California! Serving a combined Lutheran/Presbyterian ministry. Blessed to be where I am. Still cooking … still trying to think about it in a theological kind of way.

How often over the months have I contemplated new angles to bring to a post, including, of course, recipes and photos. But now, from this place, at this time, I am thinking in terms of what happens when one thing leads to another. What (or who) led me here? What is that one thing that leads to another thing, that sends us to that place we are going to next?

Here we are in the season of Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday was May 23^rd. What led the followers of Jesus to that day? It certainly is an amazing story! How did they ever get to that place? One thing had led to another … first there was Jesus, the preaching, the healing … then there were certain little details like the oppressive empire … then there was the arrest, the crucifixion, the dying, the rising, the ascending … and then, when the believers had no idea what would happen next, there was the Day of Pentecost, the Breath, the Spirit. They certainly must have been saying to each other (in all their many languages), “Well, one thing just led to another …”

It’s not a bad thing, this one thing leading to another, in life. And it’s not a bad thing in cooking, either.

So I have some stops along the road for you, as we continue onward, trying to feed ourselves and our family and friends in ways that make sense. Let’s go in a consecutive sort of way. Sometimes we do arrive in unexpected places. Sometimes the surprise is a joy and a delight. Sometimes we have to learn and try again. In any case, this particular journey started with lots of bits of herbs and stems (from the store and my Aerogarden), with a sustainably-farmed beef kidney in the freezer, and with some young curly kale that was growing in a container on our terrace and some cherry tomatoes that were threatening to go the way of all produce.

The beef kidney led to deviled kidneys on toast, which led to making beef tallow (who would have thought that), which let to Kotlet Shabowy (Polish-style pork cutlets). The herbs led to an All-Herb Pesto (even dill!),Herb-Stem Broth, and Pesto Macaroni and Cheese (shocking and delicious!). And the kale led to Roasted Tomatoes with Kale/Basil Oil and Burrata.

I hope you enjoy these and will consider trying them! And now I will leave you with a thought from the apostle Paul, who lived through a lot of aggravation, more than most of us have, and who wrote that it all ends up leading to hope … and hope will never disappoint us.

And a really fine ending for a summer afternoon … a Coffee Shakerato!

Eat well and be hopeful!

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

All-Herb Pesto

50 grams Romano, Parmesan, or Asiago
60 grams walnuts, toasted in a dry pan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 scallions, roughly chopped
2 cups packed tender herb leaves (such as dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, and oregano)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

In food processor, blitz cheese till grated, then add walnuts, garlic, and scallions, and process until finely chopped. Add herbs, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and juice, and continue to process, drizzling in oil, until rather smooth. Store in the refrigerator in a jar, covered with a thin layer of olive oil.

Herb Stem Broth

2 cups of herb stems
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved across its equator
½ large onion, cut into chunks
1 large carrot, cut in pieces
1 ripe tomato, chopped, or 10 or so cherry tomatoes, halved
½ tsp salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 quart water

Put everything in a pot and add water to cover (about 1 quart). Simmer partially covered for 2 hours. Strain, squeezing out as much as the broth from the solids as possible. Use wherever broth is called for.

Pesto Mac and Cheese

2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups grated cheddar
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup all-herb pesto
2 cups uncooked short macaroni (elbows, penne, etc)
2 cups chopped fresh kale, spinach, or other greens
½ cup grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago
3 tblsp butter
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
½ cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs

Make cheese sauce:
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly colored. Whisk in milk gradually, stir until thickened, add cheddar, salt, and pepper, and heat until melted. Turn off heat, add in the pesto, and stir to combine.

Cook pasta in salted water 2 minutes short of instructions on package. For last 4 minutes, add chopped greens to boiling water. Drain pasta and greens, and add to sauce. Mixture should be rather loose and soupy. If too thick, add more milk and combine.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan. Mix in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 8 x 8 baking dish. Pour the pasta into the baking dish. Top with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and crisp.

Deviled Kidneys on Toast

1 beef kidney (about 1 lb)
2 tblsp butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
¼ cup red wine
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 ½ tblsp tart jam (such as currant, lingonberry, or raspberry)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup heavy cream
About 2 tblsp chopped parsley or chives

Cut the fat away from the kidney with a small, sharp knife (set the fat aside). Cut the kidney into bite-sized pieces (about 1 inch).

Melt the butter, sprinkle the kidney pieces with salt and pepper, and sauté on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes (don’t overcook them; they should still be a little pink inside). Remove the kidney pieces to a plate. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until just beginning to brown (add more butter to pan if necessary). Add wine and cook down for a couple of minutes, until reduced by half, then add mustard, jam, and Worcestershire. Mix well, then add cream and heat to simmering. Add kidney pieces back in, and reheat.

Serve on buttered toast, and sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives.

Beef Tallow

Cut any bits of meat away from the beef fat, and cut the fat into very small pieces. Over very low heat in a small heavy saucepan, cook the fat until it is all rendered and the solid bits of fat are crispy. This can take from 45 minutes to two hours. Let cool briefly (but not completely, or it will solidify), strain through cheesecloth, and pour into a small glass jar. You should have about 3 tablespoons — not much, but enough to make your Kotlet Schabowy! (If you want to double the recipe and make 2 beef kidneys, to serve 4 people, you’ll have enough tallow to put some away. It will keep in the fridge for a very long time.)

Put the crispy bits on a small plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper for snacking.

Kotlet Schabowy (Polish-style breaded pork)

2 boneless loin pork chops
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tblsp flour
1 egg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tblsp beef tallow

Pound the pork chops between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper as thinly as possible. (Use a meat mallet, or if you don’t have one, you can use an empty wine bottle or beer bottle) Season the chops with salt and pepper.

Arrange 3 shallow bowls with flour in one bowl, beaten egg in the second, and panko crumbs in the third. Dredge each chop first in the flour, shake off excess, dip into egg, let excess drain off, then dredge in crumbs. Set the breaded chops aside on a plate.

Melt the beef tallow in a large, heavy frying pan on medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes per side, until browned and crispy. Serve with lemon wedges.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with
Kale/Basil Oil and Burrata

1 lb (more or less) cherry or grape tomatoes
Kosher salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar
Extra virgin olive oil ( ½ cup plus)
2 cups tender kale
A handful of basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Burrata

Preheat oven to 325. Place the tomatoes in a roasting pan and add enough olive oil to coat them. Sprinkle with salt and a pinch of sugar and mix well. Roast for 45 minutes, until starting to split. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, blanch kale for 4 minutes. Squeeze dry and chop roughly. In a blender or food processor, blend with ½ cup olive oil, basil, garlic, a little salt, and pepper.

Put tomatoes and burrata on a plate and drizzle with the kale oil. Serve with toasted bread. (If you have any leftover tomatoes and kale oil, crush the tomatoes a bit and mix with pasta for a yummy pasta salad.)

Coffee Shakerato

4-6 ice cubes
1 tblsp sugar
60 ml espresso (or concentrated strong fresh coffee)

Put ice and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Pour espresso on top, seal, and shake vigorously while counting slowly to 20.

Pour into a cocktail glass (with or without ice, as you like). (Thanks to Serious Eats.)

Sip and be glad!