The DIY Pantry (17 page)

1. Mix all ingredients. Pour into a cheesecloth-lined strainer; then tie up the ends of the cheesecloth to form a bag. Hang the bag to let the cheese drip out the whey and let hang for 1–2 hours. Remove after only 1 hour if you like a softer cheese and after 2 hours if you like a firmer cheese.
   
2. To serve, peel the cheesecloth away from the cheese and place the cheese in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
   

Liver is—perhaps surprisingly—a deeply nourishing food. It has lost favor over the last several decades, but when prepared with garlic and fresh herbs and coupled with rich, creamy butter, it comes alive. Liver is like the multivitamin of the food world, only better, obviously, since the vitamins are natural rather than synthetic and easily bio-available. Vitamin A and vitamin D, especially if the animal was pastured, are present in abundance, as well as a large amount of folate. (A small 3-ounce serving of beef liver provides more than half of a woman’s daily recommended intake of folate!) All the B-vitamins show up in great prominence, as does iron and the trace minerals copper, zinc, and chromium. All in all, it’s food that does a body good!

1. Sauté the liver and onions over medium heat in 2 tablespoons of the butter until the livers are browned and the onions are tender, 10–20 minutes. Add wine, garlic, mustard, herbs, and lemon juice and cook uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated, another 8–10 minutes.
   
2. Cool and blend in the food processor until smooth, along with the remaining butter. Add salt to taste.
   
3. If the pâté is dry and crumbly rather than smooth and creamy, add more butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
   
4. Once the pâté is smooth but with the motor still running, slowly pour in the cream and process until the mixture is once again smooth.
   
5. Place the finished liverwurst in a serving dish and grind a generous amount of cracked pepper over the top.
   
6. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
   

Learning old-fashioned techniques makes it possible to make lunch meat at home, but be forewarned that it takes a bit of effort and skill to make it silky smooth like the store-bought version. The secret to getting the texture just right is to keep your ingredients as cold as possible and to combine them with just the right amounts of fats and water. To make lunch meat even more economically, make roast beef sandwich slices. Cook a beef roast for dinner one evening, then shave all the leftovers into thin slices for sandwiches for the rest of the week.

1. Chill the blade of your food processor while you prep your ingredients.
   
2. Peel the fat off the bacon and chop it coarsely. You may save the meat part of the bacon for other meals or chop it and add it to this lunch meat. Set aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water or stock, stir to moisten, and let stand in the refrigerator until needed.
   
4. Place the meat in a large bowl (make sure it will fit in your refrigerator!) and add the paprika, pepper, and liquid smoke. Combine the mixture with your hands; then place in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes.
   
5. When the meat is thoroughly chilled, place the garlic, salt, and herbs in a food processor and pulse until the garlic is very finely chopped. With the motor running, drop the meat mixture and bacon fat into the bowl a few pieces at a time. (Work quickly to keep your processor from overheating and work in batches if necessary.) Grind until it is a smooth paste; then pour in the gelatin mixture and process until the mixture is once again smooth.
   
6. Return the meat mixture to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
   
7. Lay out a piece of cheesecloth and shape the meat paste into a 3–4" diameter log; then place at one end of the cheesecloth. Roll the cheesecloth up absolutely as tightly as possible and tie the ends with kitchen twine. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
   
8. When you’re ready to cook the lunch meat, preheat the oven to 375°F and boil a pot of water. Place the wrapped meat in a baking pan and create a water bath by pouring boiling water into the pan to at least halfway submerge the meat. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes (give or take 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the log), until the meat registers 155°F on a meat thermometer.
   
9. Cool completely; then using a very sharp knife, shave it into very thin slices.
   
10. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
    

Made popular by Jewish delis around the United States, lox and bagels—with the proper schmear of cream cheese, of course—are a favorite of many. The yeasty, salty goodness is easy to make at home as long as you have access to fresh salmon.