Although our coverage expands from the world of music to TV, games, films and more, we were sorely neglecting food. With that in mind, we've invited Nick, vocalist of metal band The Famine, to give us an exclusive set of recipes from his extensive collection. Enough from us - over to Nick!
---
I am the vocalist for The Famine. Before that, I played bass for The Famine. Before that, I taught English to seventh graders. Before that, I listened to Dream Theater and made vegan food with my drunken friends. I put garlic in everything and I hate bananas. Also, I have a mustache. That's pretty much all you need to know.
So, about once a month I get together with my scummy tattooed friends. We listen to Black Flag, drink cheap (sometimes homemade) beer, and make vegan food. This is one of our earliest recipes, taken from my upcoming cook book “Aluminum Chef: Descanting the Insalubrious.” I call it alternatingly, “V8 Soup” and “Unleashing the Bloodthirsty".
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3-4 Chopped Celery Ribs
- 2-3 Peeled and Chopped Carrots
- 1 Heavy Tbs Minced Garlic
- 1/2 Pound Green Beans, Snapped into 1 Inch Pieces
- 2-5 (Depending on Size) Red Potatoes, Cut Into 1x1 Inch Pieces
- 1 Diced Roma Tomato
- 1 Can of Corn, Rinsed and Drained
- 2 Quarts V8, or Equivalent
- Sea Salt
- Other Things – more on this later.
Heat the oil in a large uncovered pot over medium high heat. Toss in the carrot, celery, and garlic with a heavy pinch of salt. Sautee until the vegetables soften, generally around 4 or 5 minutes. Add everything else with another heavy pinch of salt. Now, this is the time to season, so I’ll address the “Other Things” in the ingredient list. This soup is supposed to be healthy and delicious, but most importantly, cheap and easy. Seasoning for this dish generally depends on what I have around the kitchen. As long as you steer clear of Vanilla extract and Peppermint oil, you should be okay. The magic of the dish is that most of the ingredients are interchangeable. Don’t like corn? No problem, add some onion. You get the point. Here’s a list of spices I generally add right away: Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Cumin, Strawberry Poptarts, Oregano, Basil, and Bay Leaves. I’ll also squeeze in a little Lemon juice if I have one lying around, and I usually add a few shots of Tabasco. Anyway, once your seasonings are in, hold the heat at medium high until the soup starts to simmer. At this point, take the heat to low, and cook it until the potatoes are fork-tender, generally 30 minutes or so.
There you have it. This soup will easily feed four, and tastes best when enjoyed alongside a PBR tall boy with “Brats in Battalions” by The Adolescents playing in the background. It’s also good over white rice and Dio."
