Olanra’s Peasant Table

By John P. Porec

Everybody Can Cook

When you read a book you’ll leave a little bit of you behind and take some of it with you. A cookbook, even more specifically the recipes, shares the history by the author of family, traditions, friendship, and love.

I hope Olanra’s Peasant Table leaves you with some reflections on your past and, even better, something greater for your future.

Keep on Cookin’
John P. Porec

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546263128

John P. Porec

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© 2018 John P. Porec. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  10/17/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6311-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6312-8 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

To the memory of my mom, Jeanne Lindsey Brumley Porec,

who cooked on a budget…but you would never have known…she taught me so much.

To my wife, Karen Valerie Olson Porec, who breathes

life into me, my food, my life…she helped me bring this book to life.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Olanra’s Kitchen Gear

Stocking the Pantry

Recipes

Starters, Sauces, and Soups

Sides and Salads

American Comfort Food

New Mexican Comfort Food

New Orleans Comfort Food

Booze

Yay, Desserts

Menus

Food Diary/Notes

Acknowledgments

A heartfelt "NOSTROVIA to all of my Olanra’s celebrated companions. I know we love our end product, the food, but in my heart of hearts I feel we enjoy the comradery of sharing time and learning even more. Too many cooks in the kitchen doesn’t apply to us—usually—but when it does, a cool beer settles all disputes. Palates fresh, we resume the battle of less is more."

Old family recipes along with new traditions wouldn’t grace Olanra’s Peasant Table without the effort, support, and contributions of my foodie gang. A heartfelt abrazo (thanks) to:

My mom, who watched me stretch strudel dough over and over again. Big bro Sid Peterson, who chops, and chops, and chops, grumbling modestly. Mikey Day, who searches, and searches, and searches for all the necessary pantry ingredients, grumbling openly, and can never find the salt. Eva, Editor-at-Large who has never met a side dish she couldn’t perfect. Paulette Edgbert, our purveyor for oysters and clams, which she brings in five-gallon buckets, with the wine she loves to pair, and drink. The pockets of cooking friends collected through my changes in addresses: Claudia Sanchez, who owns red chile, Bryan and his Perfect Smoked Salmon, and my wife Karen, who, for the most part puts up with everything.

Finally, to our hall-of-fame eaters, for without eaters it would be all leftovers. This means we never need them to bring anything other than ice, toothpicks, or a need for more lemons. We own the food and the recipes that are like our homage to family and friends, equaling our heritage and history. Friends like Marlo and Kevin who complain about the serving size and then clean their plates. And finally, our beloved Skipper, whose life was cut way too short by ALS.

We cook to nourish and comfort. More importantly to demonstrate our honest need to my roots of writing…which is to show and not tell…as common goals of good food for good friends.

My roots of writing also require me to thank all of the hard work of editing and formatting. Allison Rennie helped and went above her pay grade to shape this book, and my longtime editor, Barbara Fandrich, who can put lipstick on a pig and make it look great. And in this case, taste great.

Olanra has slowed down in the past couple of years. Life challenges us all with time. But good memories last forever and I hope this cookbook helps.

Thanks to all…at least 99% of you.

Introduction

I earn part of my keep as a fiction writer. This might seem strange, but I try to keep my fiction honest, truthful. Like the old adage, Truth is stranger than fiction, I try to spin my tales so they are believable to my audience. I don’t even read when I’m writing to assure it’s my voice that resonates, not influenced by another. One day when being schooled by my editor, really eating a lot of humble pie, she gave me a reading list. I told her of my concern of loving my style. Her response came with a puzzled smile. Don’t you know the best writers are the best thieves? I never did bite on her advice; that is, until now. I don’t know about all cooks, but as for me, I would swipe the recipe and help myself to their saffron on the way out the door. Simply stated, if stealing recipes was a crime, I’d be a line cook in San Quentin. Copyright with this book means to copy the recipe right. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery…so with this cookbook you have a license to steal…I’ll be flattered.

Now, what is Olanra’s Peasant Table? First, Olanra. When my wife and I first moved into our new waterfront home, we entertained a group of neurologists.

Admiring the view and surroundings, one neurologist stroked his tidy beard and asked, What do you call your compound?

I smiled (thinking only the Kennedys had a compound), and reflected that I had indeed named our home; hell, I had named my truck, and said, Olanra.

Oh, really? That’s interesting. He’d bit a little more than I had planned, but I am a fiction writer.

I responded, "Absolutely, and I’m sure you know that means panoramic view."

He studied the Olympic Mountains to the west, and with confidence said, Of course.

Later, he gave me a double-look after studying my wine rack on our deck. Boone’s Farm?

I nodded. Of course, this wine pairs with all seafood, especially the strawberry. I excused myself, offering that the oyster artichoke soup needed tending. I hoped a guy who knew where the medulla oblongata was would notice the twist-off caps.

When you are blessed enough to have a beautiful home, my wife believes you should share the experience…and in the early days we did with gusto, hopefully initiating ourselves into