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I am a fan of the TV show, “House.” I find the medical mysteries intriguing and I love racing the team to the correct diagnosis, often writing my own differential out during commercials. Imagine my surprise the main character’s best (only?) friend commented about someone finding life to be “nasty, brutish and long.” I recognized this as a turn of phrase from an essay written by Sally Fallon called, “Nasty, Brutish and Short?” available on the Weston A. Price website. It’s a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it.

It turns out the original quote comes from Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, published in 1651 and goes like this:

“Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of Warre, where every man is Enemy to every man; the same is consequent to the time, wherein men live without other security, than what their own strength, and their own invention shall furnish them withall. In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.”

In Leviathan, Hobbes gives three causes for the conflict between man and nature: “The first maketh men invade for gain; the second, for safety; and the third, for reputation.”

The first conflict, he argues, arises from man’s unwillingness to seek peace. He allows for warfare as is necessary after all other means have been sought, but asserts it should be fought wholeheartedly and over quickly. In nature, Hobbes says, every man has a right to every thing, even to one another’s body. His second remedy for conflict is that, in order to secure the advantages of peace, that a man be willing, when others are as well… to lay down his right to property and even life to seek peace. Injustice, he claims, is failure to meet the terms of a solemn agreement and all else is considered fair.

It’s interesting reading, but its concepts are sloggingly difficult and filled with the kind of period-specific language that scares many away from the novels of Jane Austen. His main argument is for a civilized society that cares for others more than self, to not seek war and to keep one’s promises. Good goals, all, and laughably antithetical to Dr. House’s worldview. It is this kind of thoughtful, ironic screenwriting that is so missing from most televised fare these days. I love to watch something that sends me scrambling to Google, to the library, to the Bible. I don’t want to just sit back and let the “art” wash over me. I want to be challenged as well as entertained.

I know, it’s a lot to ask.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday, hosted by Food Renegade, and The Bare Cupboard blog carnival.

This is the second installment of an occasional series featuring seasonal foods available at your farmer’s market or grocer.

Chicory

Washed chicory greens
Originally uploaded by horsepj

Chicory grows wild by roadsides all over North America, Europe and Australia. Included in the general category of chicory are Radicchio, Sugar Loaf and Belgian Endive. It has a rather bitter flavor, although the whiter the leaf, the less bitter it will taste. Chicories are delicious when added to a salad composed of other greens as a main ingredient. The bitter flavor has often been called an appetite stimulant, and ancient cultures would use them as de-wormers and anti-parasites treatments.

Dark green chicory is high in vitamins A, C, E, K as well as Calcium, Iron and Potassium. To get the most out of this vegetable, it should be served with a small amount of animal fat at the same meal.

Of all the chicories, I find Belgian Endive to be the least bitter and best accepted by my family. Our favorite way to eat Belgian Endive is stuffed with egg salad:

6 pastured eggs, hard-cooked then cooled and peeled
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cocomayo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh organic dill
1 head organic Belgian endive, separated into leaves

Mash the eggs with a fork and add all the other ingredients except the leaves. Spoon the salad into the center of the leaf. To eat it, roll it up and eat with your fingers!

Leeks

Leek Stalks
Originally uploaded by LollyKnit

Leeks look like giant green onions and come from the same family. As they grow, soil is piled up around the bulb to keep it white. The green parts can turn woody later in the season, so fresh, early spring leeks are best. If allowed to go to flower, they make a beautiful white globe of flowers.

Boiling leeks will make them soft and more delicate-flavored, frying keeps the onion-y flavor and turns the greens crispy. The earliest leeks are tender enough to be eaten raw in salads or as a meat garnish. Raw leeks are high in vitamins A, C and K, Folate and Manganese and have a very complete amino acid profile, making them a good source of vegetable protein.

Leeks help the body dispose of uric acid, so if you suffer from gout or kidney stones, adding leeks to your diet might help you. They are a relative of the onion, and as such, help normalize your cholesterol levels and could provide some cancer protection. (Research is ongoing.)

Potato and Leek soup is a staple of French cuisine, this simple and inexpensive recipe is warming, soothing and filling.

8 organic potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound nitrite/nitrate-free bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 organic leeks, sliced
1 cup heavy raw cream

Plunge the leeks into a sinkful of water with a splash of vinegar and let them soak 10 minutes. Rinse well with water. In a large saucepan or stockpot, bring potatoes and chicken stock to a boil and skim. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of grease and set aside. Saute the leeks in the frying pan with the reserved bacon grease 8 to 10 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, stir in the fried leeks, heavy cream and bacon. Stir to blend and remove from heat. Serve hot.