On Economy in the Kitchen: Stone Soup
In our Mindful Palette course, students are asked to research the American poverty index and calculate the cost of a meal for their “family” of six. They then must plan, do the shopping, and prepare a well-balanced meal.
We discuss processed foods and the environmental impact of importation, and we discuss cost relative to availability and seasonality. Although we encourage them to use Italian recipes and local products, this doesn’t always happen. In Tuscany, where our course is held, local products can be especially expensive. Organic food and “farm to table” eating has become a privilege that bely their humble origins as peasant food. So, depending on where you are, it is not always easy to eat locally on a budget. One student-group bought a bag of mixed frozen vegetables: neither local nor seasonal (and in a plastic bag). It is not always easy be elegant, either, on a budget. But they also bought pasta. As Italians have known for a long time, pasta is a good and cheap way to fill bellies.
Pasta can be 50 (euro) cents for 1000 g (about 2 lbs). These are big brand and supermarket brand pastas, not artisanal, but they are Italian. 1000 g of pasta can feed ten people. If you made your own pasta it would cost much more, with the ten eggs needed. Or you could make Tuscan “pici” without eggs, but you are still at least one euro for flour. And you’ll need two or three hours, and a little skill. So, for the sake of argument, let’s get the 1 kg bag from the supermarket. This is not a cop out if the basis of this assignment, and the history of cooking around the world, is economy.
The story of civilization is based on using ALL resources to guarantee survival. There are ways to do this while being respectful to nature and culture as well as to economy.
There are many simple and affordable sauces, or condiments, for pasta.
Aglio, olio, pepperoncino (Olive oil, garlic, and hot pepper), a classic, or
Carbonara, gricia, cacio e pepe, amatriciana (see the essay on Carbonara),
Burnt butter and sage, or
another classic, crushed tomatoes cooked in olive oil and garlic, or
Puttanesca, or anchovies, garlic and breadcrumbs, or basically any vegetable with any oil or fat: sliced zucchini and pancetta, sauteed eggplant with grated ricotta, orecchiette with broccoli, pine nuts, and raisins; radicchio and gorgonzola, zucchini and sweet peppers, etc.
Many of these materials are and were cultivated in a home garden, so in a sense “free.” There are common Italian pantry items, like garlic, onions, cured pork, anchovies, hard cheese, wine, butter, fat or olive oil. They represent models of historical preservation: garlic is dried, pork and anchovies are salted, cheese and wine are fermented, olives are made into oil to ensure long-term availability. They are available and affordable at any supermarket. As in the case of pasta, sometimes the supermarket is more affordable then growing or making ingredients yourself. The dilemma for many gentleman farmers is that it can be cheaper to buy produce than to grow your own.
A Note: Extra virgin olive oil is a luxury for many. I live in Italy and have olive trees and it is still a luxury. I have supermarket extra virgin for cooking, and local, organic oil as a final touch, or for dressings. Like many households, I also keep a jar of bacon fat. Olive oil has always been a luxury.
Besides pasta, there are soups and stews, that with few ingredients, feed many. The list is long, from Tuscan Ribollito to fish soups from both coasts, or in Lazio, pasta e ceci.
This recipe for Stone Soup is not Italian, but the format is global and ancient; it varies according to local, available ingredients. It is an exercise in sustenance, economy, and community.
There is a similar recipe from fishing villages on the Adriatic coast of Italy, called Pesce Fuggito, or “escaped fish.” In times when fish was not available, a stone was collected from the beach and used to make soup. The salty algae on the rock gave the soup the idea of fish. Here, the stone is the idea of bone.
Stone Soup comes from an Eastern European fable. In the story, hungry travelers (or soldiers) arrive at a village in search of food. When the villagers deny they have any to offer, the travelers devise a plan to make their very special stone soup, and the curious villagers begin contributing, one with a carrot, another an onion, and then someone with a few potatoes, beans, etc. While each of ingredient is not very exciting on its own, the combination makes a satisfying meal and a celebration. But the travelers’ stone is the secret to the dish. Except for the stone, these ingredients were not quite “free,” as they involved labor, but it was what was available.
It is an adaption to available resources (what’s in your garden or fridge) so quantities and ingredients will vary accordingly. The point is, you can spend very little and feed your own village.
Stone Soup
1 carrot, sliced, 100 gr
1 onion, sliced, 100 gr
1 celery stalk, sliced, 100 gr
Pancetta, guanciale, olive oil, butter or fat, 200 gr
1 perfect stone (rinsed), 350 gr
1 beef bone, 200 gr (optional)
soaked beans, 200 gr
available vegetables, fennel, cabbage, or chard, 200 gr
quartered potatoes, 200 gr
barley or rice, 200 gr
Any available meat (chicken wings or beef muscle) (optional) 200 gr
1 bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, 1 clove, salt and pepper
Light a fire and place a cauldron over it with as much water as it will hold and bring to a boil. Add the stone. Add everything else in order of what need to cook the longest: Bones or meat should cook for at least two hours, beans 60 minutes, barley 40 minutes, and potatoes and cabbage 30 minutes. Serve over stale bread with a sprinkle of olive oil and grated cheese, if available.
Wine: Farmer’s wine. Take what you can get or just skip it.