I do not know who coined the phrase, but the first I heard of it was in the lovely little book written by my favorite culinary word smith, M.F.K. Fisher * (1908-1992). “When the wolf is at the door.” It’s a lovely turn of phrase, isn’t it? I think almost everyone has had the wolf at the door sometime in their life, the time when the pantry is almost bare, and your coin purse has no jingle to it at all.
Tough times call for being very frugal in the kitchen, stone soup comes immediately to mind, but I do not think I would go quite that far. Not to worry, though, there are lots of other good recipes that you can turn to, recipes that stretch ingredients and aren’t overly expensive. It’s a style of cooking most often referred to as country cooking.
Red beans and rice is a fine example. Dried red beans, an onion, bell pepper, a jalapeno if you have one, some stock, and if you are feeling extravagant, a nice piece of smoked sausage (Conecuh is all I ever use). To jazz it up a bit, I add diced jalapeno, garlic butter and red pepper flakes to the dry rice before steaming, it adds just a little extra kick that I like. Sauté the veggies and sausage (well browned), add the red beans (canned are just fine, but pour out the liquid), add stock to cover, and simmer till it is to your liking. I like to serve it with a big dollop of rice on top (with a green onion garnish) just because it looks better than mixing it all together, but it tastes the same either way.
A simple marinara sauce with pasta is another great dish to serve when times are tough. Sauté a diced onion in olive oil, add red pepper flakes, and when the onion is just tender add diced garlic and cook until tender. If you have a glass of red wine, add it now and simmer until it has mostly evaporated. Now add a can of the best quality whole tomatoes you can afford (imported Italian are my choice) and season with Italian seasoning, simmer for at least 30 minutes, longer if you can. Cook the pasta of your choice until almost done, then drain, and add it to the marinara sauce to finish cooking. A little parmesan Reggiano on top will be a big help.
Lastly, eggs are pretty inexpensive and can be served in many simple and filling ways. Lightly scrambled and served on toast is one of my favorite comfort foods, poached or soft boiled on toast is quick and good too. Depending on how tight your budget is, a few slices of ham, sausage or bacon goes a long way to making this a filling meal.
Simple is often the best, and being creative by using what you have on hand can make for an interesting table for your guests and family.