~ Skirt in the Kitchen ~
[This is my father’s cooking, in every prep, minute, and bite– the senses of cooking– the feel, taste and aroma that makes it more appealing; the idea of what to combine and bring together, nurtured for those I love to feed. Technique of cooking is as important as the ingredients and what it becomes. Am thankful for what he’s handed down to me (and through my mother), to others.]
Known for medicinal benefits as well as adding quality of taste to foods, Wood Ear mushrooms are a part of Asian cooking fighting the common cold and improving blood circulation– easily adopts the flavors of herbs and spices while enhancing the texture of recipes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bring 32 ounces beef broth to a boil, add 2.64 ounces dried Wood Ear mushrooms and continue to boil for 6 minutes. DO NOT EAT RAW. Stir, take off the heat and allow to set in the broth to soak up liquid while saturating the mushroom flavor into the broth.
Wash 1 pound fresh, long green beans. Snap off the stems. Cut very thinly 1 large bulb onion, green shoots included.
Lay green beans in the bottom of an oblong pan, then onion slices…
Several cloves minced garlic, ground white pepper (sun-bleached white, subtle spice-heat), kosher salt, red pepper flakes…
Add 8.50 ounces drained sun-dried tomatoes, reserve 2 tablespoons of tomato-infused oil from the jar and drizzle over… sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley,
Tear 3 slices toasted white bread, then add fresh thyme.
Pour over the broth and mushrooms, all of it; add more thyme, salt and pepper.
Lay thinly sliced golden potatoes, washed with peelings left on, just 1 layer.
Dot with 1/2 stick unsalted butter, strips of red bell pepper, more thyme, salt and pepper.
Turn oven temperature down to 325 degrees; wait 15 minutes before placing covered dish in the oven, then cook 1 hour.
Pour more beef broth into the corner of the pan after 1 hour of cooking, halfway to three-fourths from the top of the potatoes. Turn the oven temp down to 300 degrees for the remainder of 2 more hours, left covered with doubled aluminum foil.
Allow to set, left covered, for 15 minutes before eating.
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