New Frugal Feasts Column Today--Dessert Caveman Style

If it weren’t for the extremely limited choice in footwear, I think I would have made a great cave woman. Being from New Jersey, leopard prints and crazy-big hair are in my blood. I enjoy cooking over an open fire, and I’d love to live one slab down from Betty and Barney. The one quibble I have with the ladies of Stonecave Road is instead of Stony Curtis, I’d just about die to meet Mark Bittman. I’m not sure how he’d do dancing in a movie with Ann Margrock, but Bittman’s ability to come up with innovative food ideas and simple, family friendly recipes makes me swoon. Why else would I have amassed a collection of ten of his cookbooks?

For the uninitiated, Mark Bittman is a New York Times columnist, food blogger, cookbook author and a true pioneer in the effort to get more Americans to eat less animal products. What is so great about his approach on this fraught issue is that Mark admits he really enjoys a good steak, he just knows that eating steak (and eggs and dairy) less often is the best way to create a sustainable food supply for our planet. Possibly even better, this plant-heavy approach to eating costs less and could even lead to weight loss. What’s not to love? His book, Food Matters came out in 2009 and is the least overwrought, most humble guide to conscious eating around. And that is a bold statement because I am not sure humble is the first word that pops into mind when perusing some of his other titles like How to Cook Everything and The Best Recipes in the World. See what I mean? He is all cattle and no hat though, because he’s won every kind of award there is, including the top cookbook prize from both the James Beard and Julia Child foundations, plus whatever sort of award one gets for traveling through Spain on a foodie quest with Gwyneth Paltrow and not killing her. Food Matters is all about simple choices and easy steps towards getting your family to eat plant based meals, but just some of the time. So have a burger, slather it with cheese and mayo, but balance that with a nice lentil stew. Your body and your pocketbook will thank you, not to mention the animals.

But even an unreformed, mastodon-leg gnawing caveman would love all Mark Bittman’s cookbooks. His recipes are simple, easy to follow and he is just about as happy to throw things onto the grill and hope for the best as any Fru Gal. In fact, if he would ever answer his emails, Robin and I would make him an honorary member of our club. On the exact same day that the first Frugal Feasts column was published on July 2, 2008 (grilled brats and a ridiculously complex leek and orzo recipe) Bittman ran a piece in the New York Times detailing 101 great picnic ideas including grilled baby quail and a slew of great salad recipes. Our column took us about 40 hours to hone and perfect, and even then probably no one made the orzo. Bittman probably dashed that piece off in twenty minutes, and guess which one is still in my recipe folder?

So far I’ve yet to come across a Bittman recipe for frozen steak on the grill. But his ideas for grilled fruit are just about as big and as pleasing surprise as some other Fru Gal favorites like the grilled pizza we’ve featured in this column. To make the sundaes in the photograph, all I did was brush a little melted butter onto some halved peaches that were ripe but still firm and had Mr. Flintstone throw them on the grill for a couple minutes on each side, just until they were softened and a little charred. We served them with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of jarred fudge sauce, they were heaven. To quote one of our guests “I am so full but this is just too good not to finish”. Even better is his recipe for grilled pineapple salsa, perfect with fish or simple grilled chicken breasts. For a photo of that recipe, and links to more recipes from Mark Bittman, please visit frugalfeastsblog.com.

And now, just because the thought of packing one more thing is unbearable in this heat, I’m giving away my copy of Food Matters and The Minimalist Entertains to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment on the Frugal Feasts Facebook fan page and I’ll pick a winner at random.

Hot Fudge Sundaes with Grilled Peaches
Makes 6
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

If you have more peaches, grill them up! Leftovers are great mixed into plain salsa along with a spoonful or two of chipotle pepper sauce--smoky, spicy and wonderful with chips.

3 medium sized peaches, ripe but firm
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 12 ounce jar hot fudge sauce, warmed
12 Pirouette cookies for garnish (optional)

Cut the peaches in half lengthwise and discard the pits. Brush all sides with the melted butter. Grill over medium heat for 2 minutes or so each side, just until softened and slightly charred. Scoop the ice cream into six individual serving dishes. Top each with a peach half. Drizzle with the fudge. Garnish with the cookies, if using.

Photo courtesy of markbittman.com

Grilled Pineapple Salsa with Onion
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into thick rings (canned rings, drained of excess juices, are also okay)
1 large red onion, cut into thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh hot jalapeño pepper or to taste, or hot red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a charcoal or gas grill fire to fairly low heat Brush the pineapple and onion slices with the olive oil; if you’re worried about the slices falling through the grate, thread them on soaked wooden skewers. Cook, turning once or twice, until soft and slightly charred, about 8 minutes total. Remove the slices as they finish cooking. When cool enough to handle, discard the skewers and chop into bite-sized chunks, saving as much of the juices as possible.
2. Put the pineapple and onions in a medium bowl with the hot pepper, mint or basil, and lime juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more hot pepper, lime, or salt as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour.


Here is another great grilled fruit recipe, from last summer: Grilled Pork Chops and Peaches