Friday, July 12, 2013

July 12, 2013

A Thought for Today

All great men and women are complicated. Neither their admirers nor their enemies understand them fully. Sometimes they hardly understand their own nature. They have not one but several selves. As they live through trials and triumphs, they grow and change and yet they seem to remain true to some inmost master self, which remains a mystery.

                                       EMM Conversation with his friend AS, 1956


A Piece of My Work

My wife liked my three trials on the Hills and Valleys and asked me to make another one for her, but it had to be "2 feet long". This was quite a commission. I had problems with the plinth (base), which I made in November 2011. It cracked beyond repair... I remade it using Adobe clay and the woman is 23" long. A better piece and very close to what I had in mind. Most likely, I must make another one.

"Hills and Valleys - Reclining Woman (IV)"


Photo

 

A Recipe for Today

                                      Ciorba of Veal


Ingredients:


 

2 qts. water

1½ lb. veal shank, sawed in 11/2”-thick pieces

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper 

¼ lb. (1 stick) butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1½ cup diced carrots (1/2”-thick)

1 cup potatoes (1/2”-thick)

½ cup parsley, chopped

1¼ cup sauerkraut juice

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup fresh dill, chopped

 

Garnish: ½ pt. sour cream

 

Procedure: 

 

In a 6-8-qt. covered casserole or sup pot, place the water, veal, salt, and pepper and simmer for 2 hrs. Remove the shank pieces and allow them to cool. Debone the shank pieces, chop the meat coarsely and return to pot.

 

In a large frying pan place the butter, onion and the shallots. Sauté until the onions are clear and tender. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, and parsley. vegetables and continue to sauté. Add to the soup pot along with the sauerkraut juice.

 

Simmer for 25 min. or so, and taste for salt and pepper.

 

Add the lemon juice and dill. Simmer for a few more minutes and place in a tureen.

 

Garnish with the sour cream and serve. 

 

Serves 8-10.


P.S. The word Ciorba (pron. tchorba) is Turkish. Essentially, it is a soup  that must have or be dressed with a beaten egg and/or lemon juice, or both.