Heart-y chili

Since it's summer and we've been getting a lot of peppers in our CSA lately, we made chili. 

The secret ingredient in this chili is beef heart. Locally raised, grass-fed, nutrient-rich beef heart. Grilled and finely minced. We try to eat organ meats as often as we can, but finding a way to satisfactorily prepare them can be a challenge. Mincing the heart is the key to overcoming the dense texture that many people find unsavory about beef heart. 

A VERY HEART-Y CHILI

-grilled beef heart
-2 cans of tomatoes 
-PEPPERS! some spicy, some not, some grilled, some fresh
-black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, add to your liking
-1 onion (we also threw in some leeks that we had in the fridge)
-4 garlic cloves

-oregano
-cayenne
-smoked paprika & regular paprika
-toasted cumin
-bit of coriander 

Cook the onions and peppers together on the stove for awhile, then add the tomatoes and beans. After the veggies have come to a boil, take them off the heat and put in the crockpot for as long as you like. We did 8 hours on LOW. In the last hour of cooking, add the minced beef heart, spices, and some sea salt. It's done!

We topped our bowls with a giant dollop of sour cream, lots of cilantro & green onion, some queso fresco, and some crispy sprouted tortilla strips that we fried in ghee!

Expounding on purslane

I posted this image on instagram a few days ago, but feel like I still have more to say about this tasty little weed. 

It was late in the evening on a Wednesday. I was sitting on the kitchen floor in my underwear unpacking our weekly bag of veggies from Utility Research Garden when I pulled out this beautiful, luscious bunch of purslane. Although I had already eaten and was quite stuffed, I still felt compelled to pick off the succulent leaves and shove them into my mouth.

Although purslane is a pretty pervasive "weed"—and can be found growing in the cracks of sidewalks, along streets, and in the shittiest of soils—it had been a while since I had eaten any. I love the texture/taste: slightly crunchy (and slimy due to high levels of pectin) and lemon-y and spinach-y at the same time. I love to grab sprigs of it and munch off the leaves before enjoying the tougher and slightly sour stem.

Apparently it has more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy green and more beta carotene than spinach. 

My mother has always kept a couple potted purslane plants around and I as a kid would always get excited about eating the little leaves. Oxalis was another favorite of mine.
 
I haven't tried any recipes that include purslane, but maybe that's because I like it best right off the stem, as is. We do occasionally toss it into salads. And I bet it would be tasty in soups or stews or omelets! This also sounds pretty tasty!

A few noteworthy piles